Love's Solution
by B4C
Summary: Set mid-season five. Brooke is faced with a scandal that might just cost her everything she has worked so hard for. Lucas steps up as her Knight in shining armour, but his sacrifice might just cause more trouble. Brucas.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"What did I ever do to this Jerk?" Brooke Davis kicked at the dirt, then gave a heavy sigh. "Why's he after me?"

Lucas Scott glanced from the basketball he was dribbling to the woman standing on the side of the court. Even furious and a little scared, Brooke made quite the picture.

She was nine inches shorter than his own six feet two inches, but she had a lot of interest packed into her five foot-five frame. Her long, brown hair draped over her shoulder like a chocolate waterfall, and her sparkling green eyes snapped with intelligence and, at the moment, worry. She wore white summer slacks and a loose, pale green shirt with some white lacy thing over it. The boots she wore were ankle-high, pale cream and fit only for walking down city sidewalks.

"This Jerk," he said, "he …. Or she, for all we know," Lucas pointed out, "is after everybody, it seems. Guess it was your turn."

That 'jerk' had been creating turmoil in the media, for the last few months. Exposing private bombshells, taunting people with their innermost worries and fears, whoever it was not only knew secrets about these people, but didn't give a damn about them.

Somehow this person – whoever – uncovered people's darkest secrets and then published them. Lucas had no idea what this mysterious 'Jerk' was jetting out of all this – okay, there were some rumours that people had paid to keep their business private – but Lucas had the feeling the while point was simply to try to destroy people's reputations. If that was it, he was batting a thousand.

"Great," Brooke muttered. "Just great."

"What exactly did he say to get you running out here first thing in the morning?" Lucas gave her a long look.

Usually, Brooke wasn't up and moving until the crack of noon. She didn't go anywhere unless she was completely turned out from the top of her head to the toes of her stylish shoes.

She sighed, then reached into her shoulder bad for her cell phone. "Look at it for yourself," she said, handing it over.

Lucas took the phone and keyed it up.

"It's ready to go," she said, "Just push play."

Frowning, Lucas tapped the phone screen. Instantly, he saw what had Brook as jumpy as a spider on a hot plate.

For the last two years or so, Brooke had been building a fashion empire. She had made a name for herself, doing what she did best, looking good and helping other to look good. Brooke was proud of what she'd accomplished, and she had a right to be. She'd worked hard every day to build her reputation and brand.

He scowled at the screen as the video played. The 'Jerk' had turned what she did into a parody. He'd found an actress who resembled Brooke to star in it, and the woman was cooing and sighing over a rack of dresses like she was having an orgasm on camera. Then she stepped out from behind that rack and Lucas knew instantly what had really set Brooke off.

The actress looked about two years pregnant. She waddled across the stage, both hands supporting a belly so huge there might have been a baby elephant tucked inside.

"Oh, man…"

"Wait for it," Brooke ground out. "There's more."

A deep frown etched on his face, Lucas watched and listened as the actress began talking with a slow, over blow southern accent.

"And for the new summer collection," she said, simpering at the camera, "maternity wear just got more exciting! Our big ol' bellies won't keep us from looking stylish, ladies." She flipped her hair behind her shoulder, then rubbed both hands over that communally distended belly before slipping behind the rack of dresses again, still talking. "Remember accessorizing is key. Drape a pretty belt around that baby belly. Draw attention to it. Be proud. Show the world what a fashionable pregnant woman should look like."

Lucas' own temper was starting to spike for Brooke's sake.

She stepped out from behind the dress rack again to model and oversized tent dress with a gigantic black belt enveloping that belly. "Tell the world, Brooke," the woman said, smiling into the camera. "Do it fast, or we will do it for you."

Gritting his teeth, Lucas turned the phone off and handed it back to her. "Okay, I see what's got you all churned up."

She tucked her phone back into her purse and then reached out to grab the basketball. Her hands tightened on the ball until her knuckles went white.

"It's not just that he's threatening to tell everyone I'm pregnant, Lucas," she said, her voice tight but low enough that he had to lean in to her. "It's that he's making fun of me. He's turning my company into a joke. He's laughing at me."

Lucas laid his hand over hers and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "Doesn't matter what he thinks of you, Brooke. You know that."

"Of course I know," she said, giving him a frim smile that was brave, if not honest. "But I watched that video and wondered if I really sound like that. All know-it-all and prissy. Am I prissy?"

One corner of Lucas' mouth quirked up, "I wouldn't say so, but you've had your moments…."

She looked at him for a long minute, then let her head fall back and a groan escaped her throat. "You're talking about high school, aren't you?"

He shrugged and went back to making free throws. Brooke had been his best friend for years. But that didn't make him blind to her faults either. Of course, nobody was perfect. Lucas knew Brooke better than anyone else, even Peyton and Haley, and he knew that she had spent a lifetime hiding tender heart beneath a self-protective layer of cool disdain.

"You have to admit you had a bit of a mean girl reputation."

"I wish I didn't have to," she muttered and dropped her head.

Shaking his head, Lucas let her be, knowing her thoughts were racing. So were his own. Brooke and he had been friends for years now, but at one point they had been much more than that. He knew her in a way not many people did, so Lucas also knew that Brooke was shaken right down to her expensive, useless boots.

"Things are different now," Brooke insisted a moment later. She straightened up, and Lucas was glad to see a fierce gleam in her eyes. "People change, you know."

"All the time," he said, nodding.

"Mouth and Rachel are together now – she's pregnant, too, for heaven's sake." She threw up both hands and let them fall to her sides. "It's a population explosion for Tree Hill. I'm not a mean girl anymore." She sighed. "I don't know what I am anymore."

"I do," Lucas said, watching her smile. "You're Brooke Davis, the girl behind the red door, the girl who will change the world someday."

She smiled, as he'd meant her to.

Starring directly into her eyes, he continued, "You're also the woman who started her own company from her living room, during high school, and made it a success."

"Thank you, Lucas." She smiled at him, and he felt a sharp tug inside in response.

"Okay," she said, nodding to herself. "You're right. I'm strong. I'm ready. I can do this."

"Yes, you can." Lucas breathed, tucking the ball under his arm.

"I don't know how to tell them," she said, all the air leaving her body in a rush. "The whole strong independent feminist thing goes right out the window when I know I have to face down Victoria and tell her I'm pregnant."

Lucas turned, braced his forearms on the top of the picnic table. "You could just tell her."

"This is so not the time for cool logic," she snapped.

Pacing back and forth along the court, she crossed her arms over her middle like she was hugging herself.

"What happened to Mr. Supportive?"

"I'm being supportive," he argued. "I'm just not patting your head, because you don't need it."

She muttered something he didn't quite catch and kept pacing. If she'd stop walking so damn fast, he'd give her a hug himself. But the minute he considered it, Lucas pushed the thought aside. Hell, he'd been burying his attraction for Brooke for the last four months. He was a damn expert. She'd come to the river court looking for a friend, so that was what he'd be for her. Which meant telling her what she didn't want to hear.

"Brooke," he said, "you knew you couldn't keep this a secret forever."

She stopped directly opposite him. A soft summer wind lifted the ends of her hair, and she squinted a bit into the sunlight, those beautiful green eyes of her narrowing. "I know, but…"

"But nothing," he said, running his hand over his hair. "Somebody else took the reins from you. You don't have a choice now in when to tell. Time's up."

"How did that jerk even find out?" She took a breath and exhaled on a heavy sigh. "You're the only one – or so I thought – besides me who knows about the baby."

That sounded like an accusations. His gaze snapped to hers. "I didn't tell anyone."

"I know that." She waved that away with such casualness he relaxed again. Lucas was a man of his word. Always. The one thing he always remembered Keith saying was, 'Without his honor, a man's got nothing.'

That had always stuck with him, to the point that Lucas never made a promise unless he was sue he could keep it. "You know, you're the only man in my life who's ever thought I was actually worth something, Lucas." She said softly. "The only man I can always count on."

He nodded but didn't say anything, because knowing Brooke, she had more to say.

"I tried to contact Owen again."

And there it was. Irritation spiked inside him, and Lucas didn't bother to hide it. Owen Morello, a one-night stand who had left Brooke pregnant and wasn't worth the mud on his shoes. But Brooke being Brooke, for the last couple of months she'd been trying to track the man down to tell him about the baby. Even if she did finally find him, though, Lucas was sure that Owen wouldn't give a damn.

"You've got to let that go," he ground out. "Just because the man fathered your child doesn't mean he's good enough to be a father. Trust me, I know."

"I know, but…"

"No buts," he said, interrupting her. "Damn it, Brooke, you told me yourself that sleeping with that sleaze was a mistake. You really want to make another one by bringing him back into your life?"

"Shouldn't he know that he has a child?"

"If he hadn't blown in and out of your life so fast, he would know," Lucas said, through in truth he was damned grateful that Owen hadn't been more than a blip on Brooke's radar. She deserved better. "I did some checking of my own when you first told me about this."

"You checked? Into Owen?"

"Who else?" He calmed himself, rubbing the back of his neck. "The man's a worthless loser. No to mention a drug addict."

She flushed, and he knew she didn't like hearing it, but true was true.

His voice low and soft, Lucas added, "He's never going to be good enough for you, Brooke."

She took a breath and huffed it out again. "I know that, too. And I don't want him anyway." Shaking her head, she started pacing again. One night of bad judgement doesn't make for a relationship. But I should tell him about the baby before it's published for the world to see." She stopped opposite him again and laid one hand against her belly. "Viral. People everywhere will see that awful video. People will be laughing at me. Feeling sorry for me. Or, worse, cheering, because like you said, I haven't always been the nicest person. Oh, God, my stomach is churning and it has nothing to do with the baby."

"You'll survive this," he said.

"Why should I have to survive? Who is this jerk? Why has nobody found him yet?"

"I don't know…to all those questions."

Shooting another speculative look at his friend, Lucas wondered exactly what she was thinking. With Brooke it was never easy to guess. She'd long since learned to school her features into a blank mask that could convince her disinterested parents that all was well. But usually with him, she was more forthcoming. Still, things were different now. She was more shaken than he'd ever seen her. It wasn't just the pregnancy – it was how her life seemed to be spinning out of control.

And Brooke like control.

"The video he sent me was just…." Her sentence trailed off as she shook her head. "If he puts that out on the internet like he threatened, everyone in town's going to know my secret in a few hours."

Lucas sighed, "Brooke, they were all going to know within another month or two anyway. It's not like you could hide it much longer."

He was repeating himself and he knew it, but sometimes it took a hammer to pound the truth into Brooke's mind when she didn't want to admit to something. That hard head of hers was one of the things he liked most about her. Which made him a damn fool, probably. But there was something about the look she got in her eyes when she was set on something that twisted his guts into knots. Knots he couldn't do a damn thing about, since he had already broken her heart once. Now they were just friends. But he did wonder from time to time if Brooke's insides ever twisted over him.


	2. Chapter 2

Brooke was nervous. But then, she'd been nervous since opening the email with the subject line. 'Your Secret Is Out. She'd known the moment she saw the blasted thing in her inbox that the tabloids would turn their talons on her. For the last few months, she'd watched as people she knew and cared about had had their lives turned upside down by this malicious phantom. And somehow she'd managed to keep hoping he wouldn't turn on her. Now that he had, though, she was forced to tell her parents the truth and live through what she always thought of as the 'disappointment stare.' Again.

Her entire life, Brooke had known that she was continually letting her parents down. Oh, no one had actually said anything – that would have been distasteful. But parents had other was of letting their children know they didn't measure up, and the Davis' masters at silent disapproval.

No matter what Brooke had done in her life, her mother and father stood back and looked at her as if they didn't have a clue where she'd come from. Today was going to be no different.

Her mother was already furious that she'd left New York and brought a house here in Tree Hill. This news just might give her the final push over the edge.

Thank God Lucas was coming with her to face her parents. She glanced at his stoic profile as he drove down the road toward the only hotel in Tee Hill. He was the only one who knew her secret. The only one she had trusted enough to tell the truth about why she had come home. And didn't that say something? She hadn't even told Peyton and Haley, and the three of them had been close for years.

But when she was in trouble, she always had turned to Lucas. Even though telling him she was pregnant because of her own stupid decision to spend one night with the smooth-talking, too-handsome-for-his-own-good Owen made her feel like an even bigger idiot.

Brooke still couldn't believe that one night of bad judgment and too much champagne had brought her to this. Lucas was right, though. Even without a media leek, she wouldn't have been able to hide her pregnancy for much longer. Loose tops and a strategically held handbag weren't going to disguise reality forever.

She shuddered a little in her seat. Brooke hated being pushed around by some nameless bully.

"You okay? Lucas asked, shotting her a quick look before turning his gaze back on the road in front of him.

"Not really," she admitted. "What the hell am I going to say to them?"

"The truth, Brooke," he said, reaching out to cover her hand with his. "Just tell them you're pregnant."

She held on to his hand and felt the warm, solid strength of him. "And when they ask who the father is?"

His mouth worked as if he wanted to say plenty but wasn't letting the words out. She appreciated the effort. He couldn't say anything about Owen that she hadn't been feeling anyway.

When she told Lucas about the baby, he'd instantly proven to be a much better man than the one she'd slept with. Lucas offered to help in any way he could, which was just one of the things she loved most about him. He didn't judge. He was just there. Like the mountains. He was sturdy. And dependable. And everything she'd never known in her life until him. Now she needed him more than ever.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when Lucas stopped at the valet. When he lowered his window to speak with the attendant, a wave of early summer heat invaded the car.

God, she couldn't remember a time when she'd felt at ease with her parents. It had always seemed as though she was putting on a production, playing the part of the perfect daughter. Only she never quite measured up. She wished things were different, but if wishes came true, she wouldn't be here in the first place, would she?

Brooke herself had been the one time anything unexpected had happened in her parents' lives. She was, she knew, an 'accident.' A late-in-life baby who had caused them nothing but embarrassment at first, followed by years of disappointment. Her mother had been horrified to find herself pregnant at the age of forty and had endured the pregnancy because to do otherwise would have been unthinkable for her. They employed the best nanny's to raise her and expected her not to make any further ripples in their life.

But Brooke had always caused ripples. Sometimes waves.

And today was going to be a tsunami.

"You're getting quiet," Lucas said with a flicker of a smile. "Never a good sign."

She had to smile back. "Too much to think about." Her mind was going off on tangents because she didn't want to think about her reason for being here.

"You've already made the hard decision," Lucas pointed out. "You decided to keep the baby."

She had. Not that she cared at all about the baby's father, Brooke though. But the baby was real to her. A person. Her child. How could she end the pregnancy? "I couldn't do anything else."

He reached out and took her hand for a quick squeeze. "I know. And I'll help however I can."

"I know you will," she said, holding on to his hand as she would a life line.

"You know," he said slowly, his deep voice rumbling through the car, "there's no reason for you to be worked up. You might want to consider that you're in your mid-twenties…."

"Hey!" She frowned at him. "Twenty four is hardly mid-twenties."

"My mistake," he said, mouth quirking, eyes shining. "But the point is, you've been on your own since you were seventeen, Brooke. You don't have to explain your life to your parents."

"Easy for you to say," she countered. "Your mom and sister are your own personal cheering squad."

"True," he said, nodding. "But, Brooke, sooner or later, you've got to take a stand and, instead of apologizing to them, just tell them what's what."

It sounded perfectly reasonable. And she knew he was right. But it didn't make the thought of actually doing in any easier to take. She dropped one hand to the slight mound of her belly and gave the child within a comforting pat. If there was ever a time to stand up to her parents, it was now. She was going to be a mother herself, for God's sake.

"You're right." She gave his hand another squeeze then let go to release her seat belt. "I'm going to tell them about the baby and that the father isn't in the picture and I'll be a single mother and…." She stopped. "Oh, God."

He chuckled. "For a second there, you were raring to go."

"I still am," she insisted, in spite of, or maybe because of, the flurries of butterflies in her stomach. "Let's just go get it over with, okay?"

"And after, we'll hit the diner for lunch."

"Sounds like a plan." She said.

Please leave a review. Good or bad, just so I know if it's worth continuing. I will try to keep updating daily.


	3. Chapter 3

Brooke took a deep breath in what she knew was a futile attempt to relax a little. There would be no relaxation until this meeting with her parents was over.

Lucas came around the front of the car, opened her door and waited for her to step out before asking, "You ready?"

"No. yes. I don't know." Brooke shook her head, tugged at the hem of her cool green shirt as if she could somehow further disguise the still-tiny bump of her baby, then smoothed nervous hands along her hips. "Do I look all right?"

He tipped his head to one side, studied her, and then smiled. "You look like you always do. Beautiful."

She laughed a little. Lucas was really good for her self-esteem. Or, she though, he would be, if she had any. God, what a pitiful thought. Of course she had self-esteem. It was just a bit like a roller-coaster ride. Sometimes up, sometimes down. Brooke would be very happy if she could somehow reach a middle ground and stay there. But it was a constant battle between the two distinctly different voices in her head.

One telling her she was smart and talented and capable while the other whispered doubts. Amazing how much easier that dark voice was to believe.

And she was stalling.

"You're stalling," Lucas said as if reading her mind. Her gaze snapped to his.

"Think you know me that well, do you?"

"Yeah," he said, a slow smile curving his mouth. "I do."

Okay, yes, he really did. Probably the only person she knew who could make that claim and mean it. Even Haley and Peyton, only knew about her what she wanted them to know. Brooke was really skilled at hiding her thoughts, at being who people expected or wanted her to be. But she never had to do that around Lucas.

Taking her hand in his, he started or the elevator. "Come on, Brooke. We'll talk to you folks, get this out in the open, then go have lunch so I can get a burger and you can nibble on a lettuce leaf."

She rolled her eyes behind his back, because damn it, he really did know her. All women watched their diets, didn't they? Especially pregnant women? At that thought, memories of that vile video rushed into her mind again. She saw the actress waddling, staggering across a mock-up of Brooke's store, and she shivered. She refused to waddle.

Brooke swallowed a groan and stepped of the elevator beside Lucas. He was still holding her hand, and she was grateful. A part of her brain shirked at her that it was ridiculous for a grown woman to be so nervous about facing her parents. But that single voice was being systematically drowned out by a choir of other voices, reminding her that nothing good had ever come from having a chat with Victoria and Ted Davis.

"You ready?"

She looked up into his eyes and gathered the tattered threads of her courage. She had to be ready, because there was no other choice. "Yes."

"That'd be more believable if you weren't chewing on your bottom lip."

"Damn," she muttered and instinctively rubbed her lips together to smooth out her lipstick. "Fine. Now I'm ready."

"Damn right you are." He grinned, and her nerves settled. Really, Brooke wasn't sure what she'd ever done to deserve a best friend like Lucas, but she was so thankful to have him.

Before she could talk herself out of it or worry on it any longer, she reached out and rapped knuckles on the door. Several seconds past before it swung open to reveal an immaculately groomed older women.

"Hello, dear," Victoria Davis said. "This is a surprise, I thought we were meeting for dinner. Lucas isn't it?"

He nodded.

Ted Davis was a handsome man in his sixties. He wore a perfectly tailored suit and his silver hair was swept from a high, wide forehead. His blue-grey eyes were sharp but curious as they landed on his daughter. Victoria was petite, and though in her sixties, she presented, as always, a perfect picture. Her dark hair was trimmed into a modern but flattering cut, and her figure was trim, since she had spent most of her life dieting to ensure it. Her navy blue dress looked professional and elegant and served to make Brooke feel like a hag.

"Is there something wrong, dear?" Victoria set her teacup down onto the table and then then folded her hands neatly in her lap.

There was her opening, Brooke thought, and braced herself to jump right in.

Actually, yes, there is," she admitted, and glanced at her father to see his concerned frown. "You've both head about people being blackmailed lately, right?"

"Distasteful," Victoria said primly with a mild shake of her head.

"I'll agree with you mother. Whoever it is needs to be apprehended and charged," her father said. "Prying into people's private lives is despicable."

"He's caused a lot of trouble," Lucas said and took Brooke's hand to give it a squeeze.

Her mother caught the gesture, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Well, I was contacted this morning," Brooke blurted out before she could lose her dwindling nerve entirely.

"You?" Victoria lifted one hand to the base of her throat, her fingers sliding through a string of pearls. "Whatever could he have on you?"

Still frowning, Ted looked from Brooke to Lucas and back again. "What is it, Cookie?"

Oh, here it comes she told herself. And once the words were said, everything would change forever. There was no choice. Lucas was right – she couldn't keep hiding her baby bump with loose clothing. There would come a time when the truth wouldn't remain hidden.

"I'm pregnant," she said flatly, "and they are threatening to send a video out onto the internet telling everyone."

"Pregnant?" Victoria slumped back against her chair, and now her hand tightened at the base of her throat as if she were trying to massage air into her lungs.

"Who's the father?" Ted's demand was quiet but no less fierce.

"Oh, Brooke," her mother said on a defeated sigh. "How could you let this happen?"

Who did this to you?" her father asked again.

As if she'd been held down against her will, Brooke thought on an internal groan. Oh, she couldn't tell them about Owen. About how stupid she'd been how careless. How could she say that the baby's father was a drug addict, bar tender with whom she'd spent a single night? But what else could she say?

They were waiting expectantly, her mother just a little horrified, her father leaning more toward cold anger. She'd proven a disappointment. Again. And it was only going to get worse.

"I'm the father," Lucas said when she opened her mouth to speak.

"What?" she whispered, horrified.

Lucas gave her a quick smile, then fixed his gaze on her father. "That's why I came her with Brooke today. We wanted to tell you together that we're having a baby and we're going to be married."

Brooke could only stare at him in stunned silence. She hadn't expected him to do this. And she didn't know what to do about it now. A ribbon of relief shot whip like through her, and even as it did, Brooke knew she couldn't let him do this. As much as she appreciated the chivalry, this was her mess and she'd find a way to…

"We wanted to tell you before anyone else," Lucas went on smoothly. "Brooke's going to be living with me at my house."

"Lucas.."

He didn't even glance at her. "No point in her staying at her place alone, so she's moving in with me in a few days."

"But…" She tried to speak again. To correct him. To argue. To say something, but her mother spoke up, effectively keeping Brooke quiet.

"Living together isn't something I would usually approve," she said primly, "but as you're engaged, I think propriety has been taken care of."

Propriety. Brooke had often thought her mother would have been happier living in the Regency period. Where manners were all and society followed strict rules.

"Engaged." Her mother said the word again, as if savouring it. "Well, I suppose it could be worse."

Brooke was furious. Now not only had the moment of truth been postponed, but Lucas had added to the mess with a lie she'd eventually have to answer for.

"Lucas…"

He looked down at her, gave a little smile, then surprised her into being quiet with a quick, hard kiss that left her lips buzzing. Shock rattled her. He'd hadn't kissed her like that iin yeas.

When he was sure she was shocked speechless, he turned to ace her parents. "Brooke's a little upset. She wanted to be the one to tell you about us getting married, but I just couldn't help myself. And we're heading over to her place today to start packing for the move, so we wanted to see you first."

"Understandable," Ted said with an approving nod at Lucas, followed by a worried glace at Brooke. "I'll say, you worried me there for a moment with news of a pregnancy. But since you're marrying. I'm sure it's fine."

Great. All it had taken to win her parents' approval was the right marriage. God. Maybe she should have pulled a Nayley in high school.

"I don't see your ring," Victoria pointed out with a deliberate look at Brooke's left hand.

Brooke sighed, then lifted her gaze to Lucas as if to demand, this was your idea – fix t.

Then he did.

"We're going right into town to about that. And if I can't find what I want there," Lucas announced, "We'll drive into Charlotte." He dropped one arm around Brooke's shoulders and pulled her up close to him. "But we wanted you to know our news before you heard about it from some viral video."

"Now, Brookie, don't you worry over this video," her father said firmly. "I'll have my layers look into it. You and Lucas have done nothing wrong. Perhaps you haven't done things in the proper order….."

Meaning, Brooke thought, courtship, engagement, public engagement announcement, marriage and then a baby. Still her father was willing to overlook all that for the happy news that his daughter would finally settle, with a New York Times bestselling author no less. By the pinched looked on her face Brooke didn't think her mother felt the same way.

"We should be going now. We need to her Brooke all moved in and settled. Sorry for interrupting your morning." Lucas was saying, and Brooke told herself to snap out o her thoughts.

He was going to hurry her out of the house before she could tell her parents the truth. And she was going to let him. Sure, she'd have to confess eventually, but right this minute? Brooke just wanted to be far, far away.

"Nonsenses," Ted said. "We always have time for our little girl."

Brooke had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. She could only imagine how fast they would slam shut once they knew the truth.

"Well, if you'll excuse us, I think we'll go find Brooke that ring we talked about before he changes her mind and leaves me heartbroken."

Victoria's eyes widened. Lucas winked at Brooke, completely ignoring how tense she'd gone beside him. She knew Lucas thought he'd made things better, but in reality, he'd only made the whole situation more….complicated.

"You two enjoy yourselves, and Brooke, we'll talk about a lovely wedding real soon." Her mother called after her. "We'll want to have the ceremony before you start… showing."

"Oh, God," Brooke whispered.

Lucas squeezed her hand and hurried her out of the door and out of the hotel. Once outside, he bundled her into his car before he could say anything, so it wasn't until he was in the car himself, firing the engine that Brooke was able to demand. "What were you thinking?"

He blew out a breath, squinted into the sun and steered the car away from the hotel and back down the flower lined drive. "I was thinking that I didn't like the way your parents were looking at you."

His profile was stern, his mouth tight and a muscle in his jaw flexing, telling her he was grinding his teeth together. Brooke sighed a little. She hadn't thought he'd take her parents' reaction so personally on her behalf, though in retrospect, she should have. He'd always been the kind of man to stand up for someone being bullied. He took the side of the underdog because that was who Lucas was. But she didn't want to be one of his mercy rescues.

"I appreciate the misguided chivalry," she said, striving for patience. "But it just makes everything harder, Lucas. Now I'm going to have to tell them that I'm not moving in with you, our engagement is off and make up some reason for it – which my mother will never accept – and then I'll still be a single mother and they'll be even more disappointed in me than ever."

"They don't have to be." He shot her one fast look. "We move you in today. We get married. Just lie I said."

Brooke just stared at him. Since he was driving he didn't take his eyes off the road again, so she couldn't see if he was joking or not. But he had to be joking. "You're not serious."

"Dead serious."

"Lucas," she argued, "that's nuts. I mean, it was a sweet thing to do…."

"Screw sweet," he snapped with a shake of his head. "I wasn't doing it to be sweet and, okay, fine, I didn't really think about it before saying it, but once the words were out, they made sense."

"In a crazy, upside-down world, maybe. Here? Not so much."

"Think about it, Brooke."

She lifted one hand to rub her forehead, hoping to ease the throbbing headache centred there. "Haven't been able to do much else since you blurted out all that."

"Then think about this. There's no point in you raising a baby on your own when I'm standing right here."

"It's not your baby," she pointed out.

"It could be," he countered just as quickly. "I'd be a good father. A good husband."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

She lifted both hands and tugged hard on her own hair. Nope, she wasn't dreaming any of this, which meant she had to get through to him. What he'd just said had touched her. Deeply. To know that he was willing to throw himself on a metaphorical grenade for her means more than she could say. But that didn't mean she would actually allow him to claim another man's child as his own. It wouldn't be fair to him.

"There are many, many points to be made, but the main one is, I'm not your responsibility," she said keeping her voice calm and firm.

"Never said you were," he said. "You are my friend, though."

"Absolutely."

"Then accept that as your friend I want to help you."

"Lucas, I can't let you do that."

"You're not letting me, I'm just doing it." He stopped at a four-way intersection and, when it was clear, drove on toward town. "It makes sense, Brooke. For all of us, the baby included. You really want to be all alone. Or would you rather be with me? If we're living together, that baby has two parents to look out or it. And, bug plus, you can stop tying yourself in knots over your parents."

"So you're trying to save me." Just as she'd suspected. "This is all some grand gesture for my sake."

"And my own," he said, then muttered something under his breath and pulled the car over to the side of the road. He parked, turned off the engine, then shifted in his seat to face her.

His eyes, the clear, cool blue, fixed on her, and Brooke read steely determination in that stare. She'd seen him this way before. Whenever he had an idea, he got that 'I will not be stopped' look on his face, in his eyes. If someone told him no about something, he took it as a personal challenge. Once Lucas decided on a course of action, it was nearly impossible to get him to change his mind. This time, she told herself, it had to be different.

"I'm not a saint, and I'm not trying to rescue you."

"Could have fooled me," she murmured.

He sighed heavily, turned his gaze out on the road stretched out in front of them for a long second or two, then looked back at her. "Hell, Brooke, we're friends. We're both single, and we can raise the baby together. Helping each other. This could work, if you'll let."

A part of her, she was ashamed to admit, wanted to say yes and accept the offer he shouldn't be making. But he was her friend, so she couldn't take advantage of him like that. "I don't need a husband, Lucas. I can raise my child on my own."

No he sent a cool, hard stare. "You forget, my mother was a single mom. I watched how hard it was for her to be a mother and a father to me. To work and take care of the house. To run around after me with no one to help out. Thankfully she had Keith and without Keith my mom would have struggled a lot more. You really think I want to sit by and watch you go through the same damn thing?."

She bit her lip. She had forgotten about Lucas' family. His mother, Karen, was a smart, capable, lovely woman who had worked hard to raise her son on her own. Now Lucas was not just a successful coach, but also a wealthy author and all round gentleman. "Your mother did a great job Luke."

His features evened out, and gave her a smile. "Thank you. But my point is, you don't have to do it the hard way like my mom did. I wish my mom had figured out she had Keith before it was too late. You have me."

"I know," she said, talking a breath to calm the anger bubbling inside. "I really do know. But you don't have to marry me, Lucas."

"Who said anything about have to?" he asked. "I want to. We're good together, Brooke. There's plenty of room at my place. We can turn my old room into a nursery. It's not far from the store…" 

True. All true. And to be honest, living in that house was probable the place she had felt most at home in her whole life.

"It's a great idea, Brooke. Hell, even your parents liked it." 

She choked out a laugh. "Of course they did, Lucas Scott – New York Time's Bestselling Author. I'm surprised my mother didn't squeal."

He gave her a half smile and slow shake of his head. "Definitely a better reception then I got the first time I met them."

"He reached out and took her hand, stilling nervous fingers. "There's room for you with me."

"Lucas….." Brooke didn't know what to think. Or feel. He was right in that they were good together. They were already friends, and maybe a marriage of convenience would be good for both of them. But was it fair to him? "If we're married, you can't find someone real."

"Not interested," he said firmly with a shake of his head. "Been there already, and it didn't end well."

Brooke sighed again. She couldn't blame him for feeling burned in the love department. She could, however, blame Payton for being such a selfish fool, who couldn't make up her mind.

"Fine. You're not looking for love. Neither am I." she added in a mutter. "But that doesn't mean…."

"Think about it."

"But no one will believe it."

"Your parents did."

She waved that aside. "That's because they don't know me. Our friends…"

"Are so wrapped up in their own happily-ever-after they won't question it. Haley has Nathan, Peyton has Jake, Rachel has Mouth, and you have me."

"Your mom…"

He scowled thoughtfully, but a moment later, his expression cleared. Those amazing eyes fixed on her, he said. "Okay, I'll tell my mom the truth. Don't want to lie to her anyway. Does that work for you?"

"She won't like it," she said, and silently added, she'll blame me.

"My mom loves you, Brooke, so what's the problem?"

"I don't know if I want to be married," she said simply. "we have worked so hard to be friends, Luke. It'll be weird."

He laughed and shook his head. "Doesn't have to be. Think of it as a marriage of convenience. We're together because of the baby. No sex. Just friends who live together."

No sex. Well, it wasn't as if she was getting any now, anyway. In fact, until that single night with Owen, she hadn't been with anyone in more than a year. And since Owen, she'd avoided all men except for Lucas. So going without sex wouldn't be that terrible, would it? Oh, God.

"I'm not saying we become monks." Lucas pointed out as though he could read her thoughts. "If one of us meets someone, we'll work that out then. In the meantime, we're together."

Lucas watched and wondered what the hell she was arguing about. Anyone could see this was a good idea. Though he could admit that he hadn't come up with it until that moment when Victoria Davis gave her daughter the cool look of disappointment at news of the baby. Damned if he could just stand there while Brooke tried to explain about the baby's father and how he was a worthless player. So, before he'd really considered it, he'd blurted out the lie. And it had felt….right.

Why not get married to his friend? Whether she knew it or not, she was going to need help with the baby. And as long as they kept things between them platonic, everything would work out fine. Yeah, he was attracted to her. What man wouldn't be? But he wasn't going to act on that attraction, so a marriage of convenience was the best solution here.

"Well?" he asked, gaze fixed on hers. "What do you think?"

"I think you're crazy," she said on a half laugh.

"That's been said before," he reminded her.

Nervously, she pushed her hair back from her face, and the early afternoon sunlight caught a few threads of mahogany, making them gleam. "If we do this, we'll both be crazy."

"Worse things to be, Brooke"

She smiled. "Are you really sure about this?"

He tipped his head to one side and gave her a look. "When have you ever known me to say something without meaning every damn word?"

"Never," she said, nodding. "It's one of the things I like best about you." She met his gaze squarely and took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll marry you and not have sex with you."

He grinned and winked. "Now, how many people can say that?" turning in his seat, he fired up the car, put it in gear and steered out onto the road again, headed for town. "We'll go get lunch, and then we'll go ring shopping."

"No."

"No?" he glanced at her, surprised.

"No ring." She said, shaking her head. "We don't need an engagement ring, Lucas, and I don't want you buying one for me when it wouldn't really mean what it should. You know?"

He understood and couldn't say he disagreed. Their marriage would be a joining of friends, not some celebration of love, after all. What's your mom going to say?"

Smiling sadly, Brooke said, "Even if we'd gotten one, she'd have found something wrong with it anyway."

They slipped into silence. Lucas took her hand for the rest of the drive but let her to her thoughts.

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	4. Chapter 4

Lucas opened the door to the Tree Hill Diner, steered Brooke inside and stopped. Every person in the place turned to look at them, and he knew. That stupid video was on the internet, and it seemed clear that it seemed the hot topic in Tree Hill.

The welcoming scents of coffee, French fries and burgers greeted them. Classic rock played on the old fashioned jukebox in the corner, and noise from the kitchen drifted out of the pass-through, but other than that, the silence was telling.

"Let's go," Brooke said, and tugged at his hand.

"Not a chance," Lucas countered, then, bending his head down to her, he whispered, "Do you really want them to think you're scared?"

He knew it was just the right note to take when she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and stood there like a queen before peasants. Lucas hid a smile, because in just a second or two the women he knew so well had re-emerged, squashing the part of her that wanted to run and hide.

A couple of seconds ticked past and then the diner customers returned to their meals, though most of them looked to be having hushed conversations. It didn't take a genius to guess what they were talking about.

He gave Brooke's hand a squeeze and smiled at the waitress as she hurried over.

"Well, hi, you two," she said with a deliberate bright smile. "Booth or table?"

"Booth if you've got it, Lucas said quickly, knowing Brooke wouldn't want to be seated in the middle of the room. Hell, he still half expected her to make a break for the door.

"Down there along the windows good. I'll get you some water and menus."

They walked past groups of friends and neighbours, nodding as they went, and Lucas felt Brooke stiffening alongside him. She was maintaining, but it was costing her. She wasn't happy, and he couldn't blame her. He hated this whole mess for her.

The familiarity of the diner did nothing to ease the tension in Brooke's shoulders. Once they were seated, the waitress came back quickly, set water glasses in front of them and handed out menus. Smiling down at them, she said, "I guess congratulations are in order."

"Oh, God," Brooke murmured, and her shoulders slumped, as if all the air had been let out of her body. "You've seen the video."

The waitress gave her a friendly pat and said, "I'm not talking about the video, honey. Don't worry about that. That nosy bastard has been poking into too many lives, so everyone here knows they could be next. Looks like his moving pretty quick, so he'll be onto someone new before you know it and you'll be old news."

Lucas could have kissed her. "She's right."

Brooke looked at him, and he read resignation and worry in her eyes. "Doesn't help much, though. The whole town knows I'm pregnant now."

"Sweetie, most of us guessed anyway."

At Brooke's stunned expression, she added, "You've never worn loose shirts and long cover-ups in your life. Don't forget, it's a small town, most people here watched you grow up."

Lucas grinned. "She's got a point."

Brooke blew out a breath and gave him a rueful smile. "So much for my brilliant disguise."

"Oh, it probably fooled the men." The waitress said patting Lucas. "You guys don't really notice much. But women know a baby bump when they see on being hidden."

Brooke nodded. "Right."

"But I wasn't congratulating you on the baby anyway. Though, best wishes. I was talking about your engagement to Lucas here."

Now it was his turn to be stunned. "How did you find out about that already?"

"Remember where we live, honey." She said with a shake of her head that sent her dark blond ponytail. Swinging behind her. "Brooke's mom called one of her friends, who called somebody else, who called my sister in law, who told me."

Brooke just blinked at her. Lucas felt the same way. He had always known that gossip flew in Tree Hill as fast as the hurricanes that swept across the coast. But this had to be a record.

"We just left my parents' hotel twenty minutes ago," Brooke complained.

"What's your point?"

Helplessly shaking her hard, Brooke said, "I guess I don't have one."

"There you go. The waitress said. "And just so you know, most everybody's talking more about the engagement than that video. I mean, really." She laughed a little. "Guess he thought he was being funny, mocking you like that. Didn't make any sense. People around here know how successful you are. So making that woman look so big and sloppy just didn't have the smack he probable thought it would."

Lucas saw how those words hit Brooke, and once again he could have kissed the waitress, who he now noticed wore a name tag, declaring her name; Amanda. She was right of course. Brooke, even with her pregnancy showing, would be just as stylish as ever. That video was meant to hurt her, humiliate her, but he knew Brooke well enough to know that after the initial embarrassment passed, she'd rise above it and come out the winner.

"But you two engaged," Amanda said with a wink. "Now that's news worth chewing on."

"I hate being gossiped about," Brooke muttered.

"In a small town," Amanda pointed out, "we all take out turn at the top of the rumour mill eventually."

"Doesn't make it any easier," she said

"Suppose no, but at least people are pleased for you," Amanda said.

"Well, it's good the news is out." Lucas spoke up, getting both women's attention. "And to celebrate our engagement, I'll have the double cheese burger with fries and some sweet tea."

"Got it, and for you?"

"Small salad, please," she said. "Dressing on the side. And an unsweetened tea."

"That's no way to feed a baby," Amanda muttered, but nodded. "And not even close to a celebration, but okay. Be out in a few minutes."

When she was gone, Lucas took a drink of water, set the glass down and said, "She's right. That baby needs more than dry lettuce."

"Don't start," she warned, and turned her gaze on the street beyond the window. "I'm not going to end up waddling through the last of this pregnancy, Lucas."

Irritation spiked, but he swallowed it back. Brooke had been on a damn diet the whole time he'd known her. In fact, he could count on the fingers of one hand how many times he'd seen her actually enjoy eating. But it wasn't just her now. That baby was going to need protein. And once she was living with him, he'd make sure she ate more than a damn rabbit did. But that battle was for later. Not today.

"Fine."

"I can't believe people already know about the engagement," Brooke said, looking back at him. Reaching out, she grabbed a paper napkin and began tearing at the edges with nervous fingers.

"At least they're talking about us, not the video," Lucas pointed out and took another sip of water. His gaze was fixed on hers, and he didn't like the haunted look that still colored her eyes.

Scowling, she muttered, " I don't want them talking about me at all."

Lucas laughed, and laughed even harder when she glared at him.

"What's so funny? "She demanded.

Scrubbing one hand across his face, he did his best to wipe away the amusement still tickling him. Keeping his voice low, he said, "You, Brooke Davis. You love being talked about. Always have."

When she would have argued, he shook his head and leaned across the table toward her. " You were senior class president and head cheerleader – at college you were the president of your sorority. Now? You still love it. Why else would you have your own magazine, called 'B. Davis'? you like being the center of attention, Brooke, and why shouldn't you?"

"I didn't do all that just to be talked about," she argued.

"I know that," he said and slid one hand across the table to cover hers. "You did all of it because you liked it. Because you wanted to." Then in his head he added 'and because it was the attention you never got at him and that fed something in you that's still hungry today'.

"I did. And I like designing, knowing people will wear and talk about it." She leaned towards him, too, even as she pulled her hand from beneath his. "But there's a difference, Lucas, between people talking about my work and talking about my life."

"Not by much, there isn't," he said and leaned back, laying one arm along the top of the booth bench. "Brooke, we live in a tiny town in North Carolina. People talk. Always heave. Always will. What matters is how you deal with it."

"I'm dealing," she grumbled, and he wanted to smile again but was half worried she might kick him under the table if he did.

"No you're not." He tipped his head to one side and have her a look that said be honest. "You're nearly five months along with that baby, and you just now told your parents."

"That's different." Her fingers tore at the napkin again until she had quite the pile of confetti going.

"And when we walked in here and people turned to look, you would have walked right back out if I hadn't gotten I the way.

She frowned at him, and the flash in her eyes told him he was lucky she hadn't kicked him. "I don't like it when you're a know-it-all."

"Sure you do." She lifted one eyebrow again, and he had to admire it. Never had been able to do it himself. "Look, either you can let this gossip jerk win, by curling up and hiding out…. Or you can hold your head up like the tough woman I know you are not let some mystery creep dictate how your life goes."

"Using logic isn't fair."

''Yeah I know."

She at back in the booth and continued to fiddle with the paper napkin in front of her. It was nearly gone now, and he told himself to remember to ask Amanda for more.

"Lucas, I don't want to let him win. To run my decisions. But isn't that what I'm doing by agreeing to marry you?"'

"No." he straightened up now, leaned toward her and met her gaze dead-on. "If you were doing what he wanted, you'd be locked in a closet crying somewhere. Do you think that bastard wants you to be with me and happy? Do you think he wants you turning the whole town on its ear so they don't even think about his stupid video?"

"No, I suppose not," she murmured.

"Damn straight." He laid his hand over hers again and quieted those nervous fingers. "You're taking charge, Brooke."

"That's not how it feels."

"I can see that. But trust me on this – you're the one calling the shots here. You've left that video in your dust, already, and he's only going to get dustier from her on out." He squeezed her fingers until he felt her squeeze back. "Us getting married? That's a good thing. For all of us, baby included."

She sighed. "I just don't know how this day got away from me. One minute I'm dreading talking to my parents, and the next I'm engaged to you."

"I don't know why you seem to think marriage to me is such a hardship."

Her gaze narrowed on his. "I didn't say that – fine," she said when he smiled. "Make jokes. We'll see how funny you think it is when I'm living with you."

He shrugged to show her he wasn't bothered. "You're an okay cook and you're already pregnant, so al li need to do is keep you barefoot and in the kitchen."

She laughed then slapped one hand to her mouth to hold the rest inside. Lucas grinned at her. Good, he loved hearing that wild, deep laughter come out of such a wisp of a women.

"You're making me laugh so I won't obsess about what a mess my life is."

"Is it working?"

Thinking about it for a second or two, she finally said, "Yes. So, thanks."

"You're welcome."

He watched her as, still smiling to herself, she looked out the window at the little town still buzzing over their news.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucas knew he'd catch his mom and sister off guard with his announcement. After lunch, where he'd finally convinced Brooke to take a small bite of his burger, Lucas dropped her off at her place to start packing. Then he'd driven straight to his mom's house.

It was smaller than the house he'd grown up in and still occupied, but it was just right for his mom and Lilly. He knew he would beat the news of his engagement home, because it didn't matter how fast word was spreading through Tree Hill. His mother, Karen, didn't approve of gossip, so she'd been cut out of the rumor loop years ago. As for his sister, Lilly was too busy with Kindergarten politics to worry about such boring, grown up matters.

Lucas had told Brooke that he wouldn't lie to his family. So after he explained the whole situation to his mom, he waited for her reaction. He'd expected she'd be surprised. He hadn't expected her to be so happy about it. Especially since he'd made it clear that love didn't have a thing to do with hos reasons for marriage.

"You're marrying Brooke?" Lilly squealed a little, then leaped up from her chair at the kitchen table and ran around to hug her big brother. "It's about time."

"What?" Lucas looked at his younger sister when she pulled back to grin at him.

"Come on, Lucas," Lilly said. "Even a blind person can tell you love her."

Lucas frowned a little as her realized that maybe all the lustful thought he'd been entertaining for so long had been obvious. Well, that was lowering, if his sister had noticed something that he'd never seen himself – or allowed himself to see.

"Lilly, we are just really good friends. And sometimes that all you need to make a family."

"Yeah, I heard you," she countered and gave his cheek a pat as she straightened up. "Doesn't mean I believe you." Shaking her head, Lilly wondered off toward the living room.

Lilly Scott was a force of nature, Lucas though, not for the first time. She moved through life at a dead run. She was stubborn, smart and observant. He wondered if Brooke's baby would have any of these attributes.

He glanced around the homey kitchen while he grabbed a chocolate chip cookie from the plate in the middle of the table. The walls were sky blue and the cabinets were painted bright white. Lucas himself had painted the kitchen for his mother the summer before, and he figured she'd be ready for another change by next year. The floor was wide oak planks, and the fridge and the stove had been replaced with top-of-the-line new ones. But there were old pictures attached with magnets to the new fridge, and when he looked at the images of him as a child, he had to smile.

Lucas had grown up in a home filled with love. He'd spent countless hours at this very kitchen table. So it made sense to him that it was at this table that he and his mother had the conversation he could see building in her eyes.

Karen's dark eyes were as sharp as ever, and she never missed a thing. She was, he thought, beautiful, strong and smart. She had raised him by herself and thanks to her successful café and smart business choices, they he had never gone without. Karen was his touchstone, the heart of their family, and she had given his sister and him the kind of home life that Brooke had missed out on.

"When you first said you were marrying Brooke, I was pleased. She'd a good person, and I'm glad she's finally letting that side of her out to shine instead of hiding behind a mean streak that wasn't natural to her."

He smiled to himself. Trust Karen to see past the surface to the truth beneath. Not many had, really. Brooke, had put on a front of being shallow and conceded. She had been an overtly sexual, party girl, just looking for a good time. But time, like everything else, changed, and now she seemed to be coming into her own. Brooke had done well by letting go of her past enough to carve out the future she wanted for herself.

"Should have known you'd see through all that drama she used to be a part of," Lucas said ruefully.

"Of course I did." Karen waved aside. "Her parents are…difficult and they made Brooke's life a misery. It says something about her character that she'd come so far all on her own." She reached out and smoothed his hair back from his face. "But what I don't understand is way you two are starting a marriage with a lie."

"We're not lying to each other," he countered. "Or to you." He'd known she'd feel this way, and he couldn't blame her. But he could convince her he knew what he was doing. "Brooke needs me mom. That baby does, too. I watched you struggle as a single mother, and I don't want to watch Brooke do the same. We get along great. We're really good friends. We're good together and this is what I want."

"Then I want it for you," she said, though her eyes said different. "All I ask is that you be careful. That you really think about what you're letting yourself in for."

He grinned and winked. "I'm always careful.'

"Not nearly enough," she said, laughing a little.

"Honestly." Lucas said, stealing another cookie and taking a bite. No one made cookies like Karen. "I figured you'd have the most trouble with me claiming the baby as mine."

"Not a bit," she said, shaking her head firmly. "That baby is innocent, and you and Brooke are doing the right thing for it. I just want you to be sure it's the right thing for you."

"It is mom," he said, his time deep and serious. "I think we'll make this work for all of us."

"I always like Brooke," Karen said, nodding. "She's got a lot of spirt and a little sass, and that's a good thing. But she's also got a heat that's not been treated very gently over the years."

"I'm not going to hurt her, again."

"Not purposely, of course," she said. "And she wouldn't intestinally hurt you, either. Still, I'm your mother, so I'll worry a little, and there's nothing either of us can do to stop that. But if it's my blessing you were after, you have it."

"You're amazing," he said softly.

"I just know my son." She stood up, walked to a cupboard and came back with a plastic zip bag. She dumped every last cookie into the bag and sealed it before handing it over to Lucas. "You take these home with you. And when you get home, you have a good long talk with yourself. Make sure this is what you want."

"I have. I will." He reached out and patted her hand. "I know what I'm doing."

Karen shook her head and smiled wryly. "Lilly is right, you know. There's always been sparks between you and Brooke."

"Ma…"

"I'm just saying, don't be surprised if those sparks kindle a fire neither of you is expecting."

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Brooke was at 'Clothes over bros''. No matter what else was going on in her life, she had a job to do – the fact that she loved her job was a bonus.

The store was small but had everything her New York store had. She tried to focus on her designs for her upcoming fall collection but it wasn't easy to concentrate when she knew Lucas would be coming by her place that afternoon to help move her things. Brooke went for a walk, just to give her brain time to wheel through everything that was happening. She loved her house and had fixed it up just the way she had wanted it. Sure, it was small, but it was hers. Her own place. And now she was giving it up to move in with Lucas.

Not only was she giving up her home, but she was marrying him. Brooke had spent most of the evening before pacing through her home, mind spinning. Was she doing the right thing? She didn't know. There were plenty of doubts, plenty of questions and not many answers. All she could be sure of was the decision had been made and there was no backing out now – since the whole town was talking about her engagement to Lucas.

Of course, she told herself, since everyone was busy with Lucas' lie, no one was talking much about the hideous video. And today her monthly magazine would be released, debuting her new maternity line – fighting fire with fire. The video had tried to make her look foolish, but she would take the announcement and make it her own.

Lucas had been right about that. They expected her crying in a corner somewhere, well they were going to be really disappointed.

Truthfully, it was a relief to no longer have to hide the fact that she was pregnant. Disguising a growing baby bump wasn't easy. Loose shirts, pinned slacks and an oversized bad to hold in front of the rounding part of her body could only work for so long. Knowing her secret was out was liberating in a way she hadn't expected.

Taking a deep breath, she headed back to the store, stepped into the air-conditioned cool and set herself up to get back to work. She had a lot of ideas. Just last night, while she wandered her house hoping for sleep, her mind had raced with all kinds of possibilities. To grow her target market, she had to grow the brand itself. Make it appeal to as many people as possible. There were plenty of women out there, she knew, who didn't give a damn about fashion – though she found that hard to believe. But those women did care about their homes, decorating. Just look at all the DIY programs that were so popular.

Well, she couldn't build a staircase or install fresh lighting, but she knew how to find those who could. All she had to was bring in experts and interview them for the magazine, to demonstrate their specialities. She could already see it. Make overs and a homewares line, perhaps linens. She would push Clothes over Bros 'to the next level – and at the bottom she had that stupid video to thank for the push.

Unsettling though, Brooke wandered off to a chai in a quiet corner of the store, sat down and turned her phone on. She checked her email, sighed a little at the number of them and wondered half-heartedly how many of them were because of the video. With that thought in mind, she closed her email app. She didn't need to deal with them right this minute, and she really didn't want to ruin the good mood she was in.

Because she felt great. She'd taken the slap of the video and turned it around. She was taking ownership of her pregnancy, pushing her brand to new heights – and marring Lucas.

Okay, she could admit that she was still worried about that, Lucas had been such an important part of her life for so long that if she lost him again because of a fake marriage, it would break her heart. So maybe they needed to talk again, to really think this through, together. To somehow make a pact that their friendship would always come first.

When her phone rang, Brooke checked the screen and felt her heart sink into a suddenly open pit in her stomach.

Wouldn't you know it? Just when things were starting to look up.

Answering her phone, she said, "Hello, Owen."

"Hey, Brooke." The voice was smooth, dark and warm, just as she remembered it from that night nearly five months ago now.

Brooke closed her eyes as the memory swept over her, and she shook her head to lose it again just as fast. It wasn't easy admitting that you'd been stupid enough to have a one-night stand with a man you knew would be nothing more than that. And even though they'd used protection, apparently it wasn't foolproof.

Owen Morello, gorgeous, lying player who'd sneaked past her defences long enough to get her into bed. Even now Brooke felt a quick stab of regret for her own poor choices. But moaning over the past wouldn't get her anywhere. She opened her eyes, looked across the room at the racks of clothing and accessories and kept her voice low as she spoke. As much as she'd prefer to just hang up on the man, she had to do the right thing and tell him about the baby.

"I have a heap of missed calls from you." Owen was saying. "What is so important? Is it that you miss me?"

She rolled her eyes and ground her teeth together, silently praying for patience. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for months, Owen," she said softly.

"Yeah, I've been real busy."

Getting other foolish women into his bed, no doubt, and oh, how it burned to know she'd been just one of a crowd.

"Yeah, me to. "She said, taking a breath to say it all at once. "I'm pregnant."

Silence on the other end of the line and then, "Congratulations. That's good news for you, right?"

She skipped right over that. None of his business how she was feeling. "You're the father."

A longer silence from him this time, and she heard the street sounds in the background. She could see him lounging in a chair, legs kicked out in front of him, a glass in one hand and the phone in the other. What she couldn't see was his reaction. She didn't have long to wait for it, though.

"I'm no one's father, Brooke," he said softly enough that she had to strain herself to hear him. "If you carry the baby, the baby is yours, not mine."

She hadn't expected anything else, but still, hearing it felt like a slap how many women, she wondered, had made this call to Owen? How many times had he heard about a child he'd made just before he walked away from all responsibility? He was a dog, but it was her own fault that she'd fallen for his practiced charm. Lucas had been right about him, of course. He'd called him a user, and that described Owen to a tee.

Brooke didn't actually want Owen in her life or her baby's. It seemed she would get what she wanted. But she had to be sure they both understood right where things were. "You're not interested?"

"Brooke, you have to know that I'm not the kind of man who wants to be saddled with a child."

The tone of his voice was that of a man trying to explain something to a very stupid person. And maybe she had been stupid. Once. But she wasn't anymore.

"That's fine, Owen. I'm not the one who made this phone call. I don't want anything from you," she said, flicking a glance toward the door, making sure no one was entering. "You had a right to know about the baby. That's it."

"Ah," he said on a long sigh of what she assumed was satisfaction. "Then we are finished together, right?"

Big yes, she thought. In an instant, her mind drew up an image of Lucas and what had happened yesterday. How he'd stood with her to ace her parents. The difference between the two men was incalculable. Lucas would always do the right thing. Always. Owen did the expedient thing. And Brooke herself? She would do what was best for her baby. And that was ridding them of the man who was, as he's pointed out, 'no one's father.'

"Yes, Owen," she said, her grip on the phone tightening until her fingers ached. "We're finished."

And she was relieved. She'd never have to see him or deal with him again. There was no worry about him coming back at some later date, wanting to be a part of her baby's life. The minute he hung up the phone, Owen would forget all about this conversation. He would forget her, and that was best for everybody.

"Bye, Brooke," Owen said and, without waiting for a response from her, disconnected.

She expelled a breath, looked at her phone for a long minute, and then shook her head. Brooke had been trying to reach Owen for weeks, and when she finally did manage a conversation with him, it had lasted about three minutes. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "It's over."

Of course it had been over for months. Heck, it had never even started with Owen, really. You couldn't count one night as anything other than a blip on the radar that appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye. If she hadn't gotten pregnant, would she even have given Owen a single thought? "No, I would have," she said out loud.

Really, she'd have done everything possible to never think about one night of bad judgement. She looked down at the phone in her hand as a wave of relief swept over her. Owen was well and truly out of her life. Brooke knew Lucas would be pleased to hear it.

Lucas.

Maybe marrying him would be all right, she told herself now. Maybe it would be good for all of them. She trusted him, she loved him – as a friend – and she knew she'd always be able to count on him. So what was she so worried about? No sex? Not that big a deal, she assured herself silently. It wasn't as if pregnant women had a red-hot sex life anyway.

Was it fair to Lucas? Wasn't that up to him? She reasoned. If he wasn't to marry her, why shouldn't she? You, she could be a single mother. She was perfectly capable of raising a child on her own. But as Lucas had pointed out. Why deliberately take the hard route when there was another answer? And knowing that Lucas would be with her, sharing it all, seemed to make the niggling fears of impending motherhood easier to conquer. But what to do with the fears she had of losing Lucas because of a convenient lie?

Please read and review J


	7. Chapter 7

"So," Haley asked as she set an empty box down on Brooke's bed, "how excited id Lucas to be a father?"

Haley had her light brown almost caramel hair pulled back into a think tail that hung down between her shoulders.

Her dark eyes shone with a kind of happiness Brooke was glad to see there. Haley had the kind of face that made most people open there heart and spill their deepest thoughts.

"He says he's really happy about it." Which was true, but not the whole truth. A flicker of unease rippled through her as Brooke realized that to keep her bargain with Lucas, keep her baby safe, she'd have to lie to her closest friends.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Haley and Rachel both. They'd been friends for years, and heaven knew they shared so many secrets, there really wasn't much they didn't know about each other. Once upon a time, she would have confided in Peyton, but their relationship had become strained in senior year of high school, and although they had worked through their differences their relationship had never really been the same. She knew Peyton was happy with Jake and would be supportive, but it might also just be another layer of awkward.

She had to think about her baby. The baby who would grow up knowing Lucas as its father. Was it fair to her child to let other people in on the fact that Owen had been her sperm donor? And that was really all he had been, she assured herself. He wasn't a father in any sense of the word, so did he really deserve to even be mentioned?

Now that she'd actually spoken to him and knew without a doubt that he'd never have anything to do with the baby, wasn't it better for everyone to just forget about his involvement completely?

"I can't believe you managed to keep your pregnancy a secret. From us," Haley added. "I mean you're nearly five months, right?"

"It's because she never eats," Rachel put in, playfully sticking her tongue out at Brooke. She was any man's dream women, Brooke thought. Green eyes, long wavy red hair, a curvy figure and long legs. She was also driven, ambitions and funny. "You're pregnant and still skinner than I am."

Skinny. That had been Brooke's goal for most of her life. Now her body would be doing as much changing as her life, and she found she wasn't too concerned about it. Maybe it was having Lucas standing with her. Maybe it was finally accepting and being proud of the fact that she was going to be a mother. Whatever the fact the reason, though, Brooke though it was about time she stopped worrying so much about the scale. She had more to think of than herself now, right? Hadn't Lucas said just the other day that the baby needed more than a lettuce leaf to grow?

"Brooke?" Rachel asked. "You okay?"

"What? Yeah. Sorry. I'm fine. I'm just…." She paused, looked around at the chaos strewn around the bedroom and realized it was the perfect metaphor for her life. "Overwhelmed."

"Easy to understand," Haley said, folding anther sweater and laying it in a box. "It's not every day you get slammed in a viral video, get engaged and announce a pregnancy."

"God," Brooke whispered. "It sounds even crazier when you say it out loud."

"Yes, but you're handling it," Rachel said, pushing her hair back and kicking back onto the bed to get comfy. She crossed her feet at the ankle, grabbed a pillow and held it against her belly. "Haley and I have had our share of crazy, too, remember?"

"Absolutely," Haley muttered and pushed Rachel's feet out of the way to reach for a stack of folded T-shirts. "Honestly, I didn't know what was going to happen with Nathan, but now look at us."

Rachel tossed Haley more shirts while Brooke zipped her cosmetics case closed.

"I mean, look at all of us," Rachel said with a wide smile. "We really have grown up."

Brooke sighed a little.

"Plus," Rachel added, "we're all pregnant at the same time. Our kids can grow up together."

"I'm more pregnant," Haley pointed out. She patted her slightly round tummy.

Rachel laughed. "I just thought you we're getting fat."

Brooke smiled, too, because it was so easy to be with these women. She couldn't imagine her life without them in it. She had great friends.

Bottom line, worries and all, it came down to the fact that she was marrying one of her friends. How bad could it be?

"Is it time for a break?" Rachel asked from the bed. "Come on, let's let the new fiancé finish this up when he gets here."

"Rach," Haley said, "if you'd pack as much as you talk, we'd be finished by now."

"Talking's more fun," Rachel said, but she dutifully pushed herself off the bed, walked to the closet and dragged Brooke's garment bag down off the high shelf. "Fine. I'll get as much of her stuff into this thing as I can. But there's no way we'll get all of your clothes in one trip, Brooke."

"I know," Her house was small, but the closets were huge. It was really what had sold her on the place. "You know what?" she said, making up her mind on the spot. "Rach, do what you can with that bag. Haley, when we fill up this box, we're stopping. That's it. I've got enough to live on, and it's not like I'm moving to the moon. Lucas and I can come back to get the rest another time."

"Deal. I feel ice cream coming on," Rachel said from the depths of the closet.

Haley sighed. "Ice cream. I love ice cream."

"I don't have any ice cream in the house." Brooke told them with a shrug. In fact, she didn't have any fattening foods in the house. She'd never seen the point in testing her own willpower.

"Oh, that's just wrong." Rachel came out of the closet, laid the garment bag on the bed, and then picked up her purse. "I'm going to the store for ice cream and maybe cookies. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

When she was gone, Haley said, "At least she good for something."

Brooke laughed. "You know she's growing on you. She has been such a good friend to me over the last couple of years."

Haley hooked one arm around Brooke's shoulders. "I know what you're thinking. Everything's changing."

"Yeah," Brooke agreed, wrapping one arm around her friend's waist, "that's it exactly."

"I was feeling the same way just a few weeks ago, but then I remembered the most important thing."

"What's that?" Brooke asked.

"Change can be good, too."

"You're right," Brooke said and looked around the room again.

This house had been perfect for her once. When she was single, with nothing more to think about than the career she was trying to forge. But the house wasn't who she was anymore.

It was time to figure out who she was becoming.

* * *

"We can't sleep in the same bed."

Later that night, Brooke was at Lucas', staring up at him in stunned surprise. Sure, they had a no-sex agreement, but look at him.

He took a breath and blew it out again in obvious exasperation. "Brooke, you know I've got a housekeeper. If Rebecca see we're not staying in the same room, how long do you figure it'll be before the rest of Tree Hill knows it?"

"But…" She looked at the gigantic bed against the far wall of Lucas' bedroom and shook her head. Sure, it was big enough for two people, but was it big enough for the two of them?

Lucas had done some renovating since Karen and Lilly had moved out. He had really made the place his own, starting with the master bedroom. Along one wall were bookcases stuffed with hard-and-soft-backed books, family pictures, and framed awards Lucas had received. Across from the bed, a gigantic flat-screen TV hung on the wall, and French doors on the far wall lead out to the back porch.

But her gaze kept sliding back to that bed. A massive bed, with heavy head-and footboards, the mattress was covered in a dark blue quilt that looked as if it had been hand stitched, and there was a small mountain of pillows propped against that headboard, practically begging a person to climb up and sink in.

The whole room was inviting, and Brooke had to at least partially blame herself for that, since she's helped him decorate the house. But she'd never imagined herself sleeping in the master bedroom.

"I thought I'd be staying in the guest room," she argued.

"Yeah, well then we will the baby sleep?'" He scrubbed one hand across the stubble on her jaw. "And married people sleep together. That's what people expect."

He had a point, and why hadn't she considered it before? She hadn't counted on this at all. How was she supposed to share a bed with him? 

"Okay, look," he said, clearly reading what she was thinking. "We'll try this. You can sleep in the guest room, but all your stuff stays here, in my room. That should throw Rebecca off the scent. Especially if we keep the guest room looking like nobody's been in it."

"Okay. I can do that." This was crazy and getting worse by the minute. Enforced closeness was going to push their friendship places she was worried it wasn't ready to go again.

Reaching out for him, she laid one hand on his forearm and waited until his gaze shifted to hers. "You have to promise me, Lucas. You have to swear that no matter what else happens between us, we stay friends."

"That's not even a question, Brooke." He pulled her in close for a hard hug, and Brooke surprised herself by leaning into him, relishing the feel of his strength wrapping itself around her. So much was changing so quickly that he was her stable point in the universe, and if she lost him, Brooke didn't think she could take it.

"We're gonna do fine, Brooke. Don't worry." His hands moved up and down her back, and tiny whips of heat sneaked beneath her defences. Startled by that simmering burn she stepped away from him, told herself that she was just tired. Distracted. Vulnerable. But that heat was still there, and Brooke knew she needed some distance.

And she didn't think the guest room was going to be far enough away.

* * *

Brooke hadn't been awake at 6:00am in …..ever. And couldn't understand why she was now. She had always believed the only reason to be up with the sun was that you had never made it to bed to begin with.

She hadn't slept well, either. Lying there in the dark listening to the quiet, knowing Lucas was just on the other side of the wall, had kept her too on edge to do more than doze on and off. So this morning, it was too early, she was too sleepy and felt too off balance. Clutching the single measly cup of coffee she allowed herself each day she stepped out onto the back porch, where the sot, morning breeze slid past her.

The only reason she was up early enough to watch the sun claim the sky and begin to beat down on Tree Hill with a vengeance was that Lucas had woken her I the guest room so she could move into his bedroom while he went to work at the high school for morning practice.

Once in Lucas' bed, she'd tried to get back to sleep, but the pillows carried his scent and the sheets were still warm from his skin, and none of that was conducive to sleeping. She could have stayed upstairs and unpacked, but instead she'd grabbed one of Lucas' T-shirts and pulled it on over her maternity jeans – that thankfully didn't look like maternity jeans unless you saw the elastic panel over her belly. She wore slip on read sneakers and left her hair to hang in a tumble over her shoulders.

She took another sip of her coffee and let her gaze slide across the trees. She watched as Lucas jogged down the sidewalk, heading toward the high school. His chest was broad and chiselled, skin tanned, and every move he made had his muscles rippling in a way that made her think of those cool sheets and the wide bed.

"Oh, God…" Hormones, she told herself. Had to be hormones running amok inside her. Pregnancy was making her crazy. It was the only explanation for why looking at Lucas could suddenly turn her insides to mush.

She laid one hand on her rounded belly, and touching her baby seemed to ground her. Remind her of why she was here. What she'd agreed to. And for heaven's sake, Lucas was her friend. She had no business getting all ruffled over a muscular chest and a tight butt encased in worn blue basketball shorts.

"Brooke?"

Oh, thank God. She turned to open the back door where Rebecca stood, holding out a sturdy wicker basket. "Yes?"

Rebecca had greying hair, green eyes and freckles sprinkled liberally across her nose and checks. She was a widow in her mid-fifties with two grown children who had moved away. She'd been working for Lucas for just over a year now. And she couldn't be more excited at the prospect of having a baby in the house to take care of.

Rebecca wiggled the basket. "Fresh eggs, from my chicken coop. Can I make you some breakfast sweetie?"

"Um sure, I guess. Thanks." She had to feed her baby after all.


	8. Chapter 8

The next couple of weeks were harder than Lucas had thought they would be. Living with Brooke was both torture and pleasure.

She was his friend, but more and more, he was noticing her breast, her butt, her smile, her low, full-throated laugh that tugged at something deep inside him. Lust, pure and simple, he told himself. Now that she'd relaxed about her pregnancy and he'd gotten her to loosen up and actually eat real food, she was curvier than ever, and that was giving him some bad moments.

He didn't want to feel for her. Didn't want to start feeling a need for more. But he didn't seem to have a choice in that. Cursing under his breath, Lucas opened his laptop, staring at the blank word document. He sat his hands about the keyboard ready to start work. Better to keep busy, he told himself. To keep his brain so full of work it didn't have time to pick apart thought of Brooke.

"Just keep focused." He studied the blinking mark in the top left hand corner of the otherwise blank screen. "This is useless, what I had with Brooke ended years ago, "he muttered. But even he didn't believe that. Things had already changed.

Having Brooke around constantly was like having an itch he couldn't scratch. He hadn't counted on that. He scent was everywhere. It was like she was stalking him. In his slap, in the kitchen, even here in his office he couldn't get her out of his mind. She'd invaded every part of his life, and what was worse, he'd invited her in. he'd done this to himself by coming up with the marriage of convenience idea. Now his skin felt too tight, his mind was constantly filled with images of her and she was looking at him as she always had. As good ol' Lucas.

"And that's how you've got to stay," he said tightly.

Once he got used to her constant presences, he'd get over the whole want-to-strip-her-naked thing and their relationship would smooth out again. That would be best. He didn't want any more from her than friendship, because anything beyond that was too damn risky. He could deal with sexual frustration. But if she got any deeper under his skin, Lucas could be in trouble. And he'd had enough female trouble to last him a lifetime already.

So he deliberately pushed everything but the moment at hand out of his head. All her needed was to keep his distance from her once in a while. Clear his head. Get some space. Like today. Some time spent writing, focusing on what he loved doing.

"Lucas," Brooke called, called from the hallway. "You in here?"

"So much for that idea," he muttered. "Yeah." He raised his voice. "In the office."

Sanctuary was gone now, so he braced himself for being near her. It was just as well she was sleeping in the stupid guest room, he thought. He didn't know if he could take it, having her in his bed every night and not touching her.

He heard her footsteps and could have sworn he smelled her perfume rushing toward him. Lucas didn't dare take a deep breath to steady himself – he'd only draw more of her into him. And he was already on the slippery edge of control.

"Hey." She said as she moved toward the desk he was working at.

He turned to watch her as she approached and asked himself how any man could keep his mind on work when Brooke Davis as around.

Shaking his head at his own disturbing thought, he turned back to the computer screen. "Hey, I'm just trying to get some new chapters done," he said.

"What's it about?"

One thing he gave Brooke, she'd always been interested in his writing. Wanting to know what he was writing, how he came up with it.

"Honestly I don't have anything yet. Just a few ideas"

She gave him a smile, and it lit up her eyes. Lucas looked away fast, but not fast enough. The pit of his stomach jittered, and a little lower, his body went rock hard. Damn it.

"I'm sure you have some great ideas."

She picked up a pen and twirled it in her fingers. Those long, slender fingers with the deep red polish on the nails. He looked away again.

"Well, I better come up with something soon. My publisher has given me a dead line," he said and made a minor tweak to the brightness of the screen. Anything to keep his brain focused." She has been bugging me for weeks."

"You need to have a little more faith in yourself, Luke."

He looked at her in time to see a wide smile flash across her face. What was he feeling for her? Well, now, that was a loaded questions, wasn't it? Rather than face it, he asked, "What did you need?"

She propped one hip against his desk, threw her amazing long chocolate brown hair back behind her shoulders and said, "Just board."

For one long, humming second, the air between them nearly bristled. Lucas stared into her eyes and wondered if she could read the hunger no doubt shinning inn his. She licked her lips, huffed out a breath and opened her mouth to speak. But whatever she might have said was lost, and the mood between them shattered, when another voice called from the doorway.

"Hey, you two! No canoodling."

"Canoodling? His eyebrows lifted. "Nathan's here?"

Ruefully, Brooke smiled. "Apparently. He finds me irresistible. What can I say?"

A lot of that going around, Lucas thought grimly. Brooke Davis was making his life a hell of a lot more interesting than he would have believed.

"I thought we had plans for a game at the river court? And Brooke, aren't you supposed to meet Haley for lunch?" Nathan asked from the doorway.

"We're coming!" Brooke called back and got up. She headed for the door, then stopped and looked back at Lucas.

Through the skylight, sunlight poured down over her like a river of gold. It highlighted the mahogany streaks in her hair and made her green eyes glow like emeralds. Her body was curvier than he'd ever seen it, and the rounded mound of the baby made her seem softer, more alluring than he wanted to admit. She stood there, watching him, the hint of a smile on her face, and everything in Lucas tightened into a hot fist.

"You coming?" she asked.

"Nearly," he muttered, and stood up slowly, trying to mask the signs of his body's reaction to her. "Yeah. Be right there."

As soon as he could walk again.

* * *

A few days later, Brooke had her files – folders with clippings and printouts of websites she was interested in – scattered across the dining room table.

Brooke had the whole house to herself, since Lucas was hanging out with Nathan. Funny, Brooke used to be alone so much of the time she had convinced herself she loved it. Now that she lived with Lucas and had people popping in and out, the house seemed way too….quite with Lucas gone.

On the other hand, she told herself, she could get some of her own work done with no interruptions.

With her new plans for the brand, Brooke wanted to line up meeting with manufactures and designers for her new homeware line.

She shuffled threw a pile of papers looking for a phone number, and when her cell phone range she answered without even looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Ms Davis?"

"Yes." Frowning slightly at the unfamiliar voice, she said, "If this is about a survey or something, I'm really not interested."

"I'm calling from Chasen Productions in Hollywood."

Brooke swallowed hard and leaned back in her chair. Panic, curiosity and downright fear nibbled at her. Hollywood? She took a deep breath, steadied her voice and said calmly, "I see. What can i help you with?"

"My name is Tamara Stiles, and I think we can help each other."

"How, so? She silently congratulated herself for sounding so calm, so controlled, when her insides were jumping and her mind was shrieking. Hollywood. Calling her.

"I'm a big fan of your line, and would like to talk to you about perhaps building a lifestyle show around your brand."

Brooke lurched up from her chair and started walking, pacing crazily around the long table. This couldn't be happening. Could it? Really? A TV show. On national TV?

"Lifestyle show?" Did her voice just squeak? She didn't want to squeak. Oh, God, she couldn't seem to catch her breath and she really wanted to sound professional.

"That's the idea," Tamara answered. "Do you think you could come to Hollywood next week? I'd like to meet in person to see what the two of us can come up with."

Clapping one hand to the base of her throat, Brooke said, "Um, sure. I mean, yes. Of course. That would be great. I'd love to meet with you."

"Fine, then. Give me your email and I'll send you my contact information. I can arrange your flight and hotel…"

"Not necessary," Brooke said, instantly wanting to stand on her own two feet. Sure, it would be nice I a Hollywood producer paid for her travel, but if Brooke did it herself, she remained in charge. They exchanged information, and then Brooke said, "I'll email you when I have particulars."

"Excellent. If you could be in town on Monday, that would work well for us here."

"Monday is doable." Even if it wasn't she'd find a way to make it work. Hollywood? Taking her brand and turning it into a national TV show.

People had loved the fashion magazine and responded really well to the addition of homewares and lifestyle articles, but this was next level.

There were too many emotions crowding around inside her. Too many wheeling thoughts and dreams of possibilities. She was starting to shake, so she got off the phone as quickly as possible. There was no one there to tell. She needed to tell Lucas, but she couldn't do it over the phone. So Brooke just sat in silence. Alone. Smiling.

* * *

Later that night, Lucas listened and watched as Brooke paced back and forth in the living room. She hadn't stopped talking since he got home, and honestly, he couldn't blame her. Pretty big deal getting a call out of the blue from Hollywood.

"Can you imagine?" she asked. "Hollywood? Calling me?"

"Well, why wouldn't they? Lucas said from his position on the couch. He was slouched low, feet crossed at the ankles, hands folded on top of his belly. "Even California's got style, and you Brooke Davis, are the Queen of style."

She stopped, threw him a grin that was dam n near blinding. "You have to say that. You're my friend."

There it was again. Friends. No lust. No need. Just pals. As it should be. If only his brain would get the memo.

"You're great at what you do, Brooke. Half the country is talking about you, and the other half will be soon. Why not Hollywood?"

"You're right. Why not?" she started pacing again, her steps getting quicker and quicker as her words tumbled over each other. "Tamara," Brooke said, "isn't that an elegant name? Very showbizzy."

"Showbizzy?"

She shot him another wide smile. "I'm rambling and I know it. I can hear myself babbling and I can't seem to stop. Until you got home, I was talking Rebecca's ears off while she worked. She was too nice to tell me to be quiet and go away."

"Maybe she's pleased for you," he pointed out.

"She is. I know. But you're the one I wanted to tell, Lucas." Brooke stopped dead, looking at him from across the room and said, "It about killed me waiting for you to get back from Nathan's, because I just couldn't tell you this over the phone."

"Next time you need me," he said, sitting up, leaning his forearms across his knees, "call. I'll come home."

"Okay. Thanks. I will." She took a deep breath, laid one hand on her rounded belly and sighed. Lucas, this is just so crazy. Am I crazy?"

"Yes. Crazy girl." He laughed.

"I've got to get tickets. And a hotel reservation."

"For both of us," he said, and she looked at him in surprise. Didn't she know that he would stand with her? Didn't she realize that Lucas knew what this meant to her? That everything she'd been working toward for the last few years was finally coming true?

"Really? You'd come with me?"

"I'm not going to let you go alone." He shifted on the couch and dropped one arm along the back. "Brooke, I get it. This company, it's who you are. And someone noticing, waiting to make it even bigger? I know what it means to you, so no, you're not going alone."

"You really are the best, Lucas." She said, her voice soft, almost lost.

He shook his head, smiling wryly. "Who'll you talk to while you pace a hole through your hotel room floor?"

At that, she stopped pacing, darted across the room and drooped onto the couch beside him, curling her feet up beneath her. She was so close her could see the excitement glittering in her eyes. Feel the warmth radiating from her and the scent of her, drawing him in again.

Laying one hand on his forearm, she admitted, "It was so surreal. Hollywood wants me, Lucas. It's a dream. And okay, maybe nothing will come of it, after all, and I'm completely prepared for that, but it's a chance. It tells me people are noticing."

"I know." He covered her hand with his.

"You know," she went on, "when I first saw that video, I thought for sure the world was ending, and now look at me. I'm marrying a great guy and going to Hollywood to talk about my own show."

He took a breath and let the 'great guy' comment slide from his lungs. No matter what else happened, he would remain her friend, and that would be easier, he told himself, if he let go of her hand and slid just a bit farther away from her.

"Oh!" her eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open.

Instant panic clutched at his throat. "What? What is it? Is it the baby? Are you okay?"

She didn't answer him, just kept looking at him through wide eyes shining with something far more magical than the promise of Hollywood. Then she took their joined hands and laid them on her belly. "It moved. The baby moved, Lucas."

His insides settled now that he knew she was okay. But then the baby move again, the slightest ripple of movement beneath his hand, and he felt the magic still glittering in her eyes. "That was…"

"I know," she said breathlessly. "Wait for it."

She pressed his hand to her belly, and Lucas held his breath, hoping to feel that rustle again, and when it came, they smiled at each other. Secrets shared and a moment of real wonder connected them more deeply than ever before.

"Isn't it amazing?" Brooke launched herself at him, planted a hard, fast kiss on his mouth that changed instantly from celebration to something else entirely.

Heat erupted between them, surprising them both. Lucas' heart jolted into a fast gallop, and Brooke did a slow melt against him, parting her lips under his. His tongue swept in, tangling with hers, tightening the knots inside him until he was pretty sure they'd never come undone. His hands fisted at her back. Her hands stroked his shoulders and slid up into his hair, her fingers holding him tightly to her. Seconds passed, and the building heat between them become an inferno.

Lucas had never felt anything like it in years, and he wondered how he'd gone without this for so long. She moved against him, sliding onto his lap, and he knew she felt the hard proof of what he was feeling for her, because she squirmed on his lap, making it better and worse all at the same time.

When that though hit, Lucas knew he had to end this. Before they completely crossed the line they agreed on to protect both of them. He broke the kiss, lifted her off his lap and set her down on the couch. Then got up, needing some space between them.

"Lucas…"

He looked over his shoulder at her and nearly groaned.

Her mouth was full and tempting, her eyes wide with surprise and her breath coming in short, hard gasps. He knew the feel of her, the soft curves, the warmth and the eager response to his touch. And damned if he knew how to ignore that knowledge.

'Just give me a minute here, Brooke," he ground out and pushed both hands through his hair. He dragged in a deep breath and shook his head.

"Why did you stop?" she asked.

Lucas spun around and glared at her. "You're kidding, right?"

"No." She pushed herself off the couch and walked toward him.

Lucas help up one hand to keep her at bay. Her hair was loose on her shoulders. The T-shirt she ware clung to her rounded belly, and her white shorts displayed way too much tanned leg. Her bare feet didn't make a sound on the floor, but it was as if every step thundered in his head, his chest, as a warning. Well, he was going to listen.

He'd been burned once before by a woman he cared too much for, and he wasn't going to set himself up for that again.

They were going to be friends. Noting more.

"Lucas, that was…"

"A mistake," he finished for her and walked to the kitchen. Yanking the fridge open, he pulled out a beer, opened it, then slammed the fridge closed again. He took a long pull of the cold, frothy brew and hoped to hell it served to put out the fire burning inside him. Somehow he doubted a beer was up to that task, though.

"Why does it have to be a mistake?" she asked. "We're engaged, aren't we?"

"Yeah," he said, taking another drink. "And it's a marriage of convenience, remember? We agreed to no sex. It'll just complicate everything, and you know it."

She scowled at him. "Nobody said anything about sex tonight, Lucas. I'm talking about a kiss."

"A kiss like that?" He waved one hand at the couch where they'd been just moments ago. "Leads one place, Brooke."

"Wow. You're really sure either of yourself or of me." She tipped her head to one side to watch him like he was a bug on a glass slide. "You think kissing my brains out means I'm just going to leap into your bed shirking, 'take me baby'? "

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." She pushed that silky mass of hair back from her face. The better to scowl at him, he guessed. "For God's sake, Lucas, I'm not that easy." 

He snorted, shook his head and took another gulp of his beer. "You are many things, Brooke, but I never thought easy was one of them."

"Right." She folded her arms across her middle, unconsciously lifting her breasts so that the tops peeked out of her t-shirt's neckline. "But you figured one hot kiss from you and I was going to toss my panties over my head?"

"You're twisting this up somehow," he said and tried to figure out exactly where he'd taken the wrong tack.

"Oh, I don't think so." She walked toward him, and as short as she was, she looked pretty damn intimidating when she was mad.

She stopped about five feet from him and said, "I liked kissing you – which, okay, surprised me a little…"

He snorted again and nodded. It had surprised the hell out of him, too. His lips were still burning.

"….that doesn't mean I'm ready for more, though. But we are engaged, Lucas." She wagged a finger at him. "You're the one who's waking me up at six in the morning so your house keeper won't find out we're not sleeping together."

"Yeah, so?" he frowned a little, not following her train of thought.

"Well don't you think she'd expect to see an engaged couple kissing now and then?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Hugging? Looking like we're intimate even if we're not?"

He hadn't considered that, but she had a point. If he kept treating like a pal or a sister or something. People would notice and start wondering. "Damn it."

"Ah," she said, satisfied. "Good. Now maybe you won't freak out over a simple kiss. And you'd better get used to the idea, because we should do more of it."

Insulted, he countered, "A, I didn't freak out. B, there was nothing simple about that kiss."

"You don't think so?" she asked, turning around and heading toward the door. "For me, it was nice, but nothing special."

He stared after her, stunned. She was playing him. Had to be. Because that kiss had nearly lifted the top of his head off, and he'd damn well felt her heat beating a wild rhythm. No way was she unmoved and blasé about it as she was pretending.

When she was at the door, she pushed and looked back at him. 'Seriously, Lucas, if we're going to make everyone believe this marriage is real, then we'd better practice kissing until we're good at it."

She gave him a half smile and left. Lucas stared at the empty doorway or a long count of ten, then tipped his beer back for another drink.

"Practice? If we get any better at it, I'm a dead man."

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

Dinner at THYC on Saturday night was a treat. Brooke had always loved the club, and had come often with her parents when she was younger.

Sitting across the table from Lucas, she took a second to admire it. The dining room of the Tree Hill Yacht Club really hadn't change much in decades. Even with a fresh coat of paint, it remained very much what it always had been – an upscale restaurant with a nice view of the ocean. Tables were draped in white cloth, and on every table was a bud vase with a single yellow rose in it. Soft jazz spilled out of overhead speakers, and the brass sconces on the wall threw out shafts of pale light. The atmosphere was old-world, but the clientele was mixture of the older generation and younger. Conversations rose and fell like the tides, with a sprinkling of laughter now and then to keep things bright.

Brooke looked at Lucas and just managed to squelch a sigh. He wore a white dress shirt, black jacket and black slacks and black shoes, shined to perfection. Her insides shivered, and her stomach did a long, slow roll. That sensation still caught her by surprise, despite how often she'd been experiencing it lately.

Desire pumped through her and she fought it down, because really, he hadn't said a word about that kiss since it happened two nights ago, so maybe he hadn't felt what she had. Wanted what she had – did.

And maybe she'd been trying to temp him, to remind him of that kiss when she chose what to wear tonight. Her short, bright red dress hugged her breasts and her growing curves proudly. The neckline was square and deep and supported by inch-wide straps across her shoulders. Her red heels gave her an extra three inches of height, which she was always in favour of – plus, they made her legs look great.

He'd noticed, because she'd seen the flare of approval in his eyes when he first saw her tonight. But he'd been cool, controlled, even a little distant since they sat down at the restaurant.

Two days since she'd kissed him on impulse and found so much more than she'd expected. When his mouth fussed to hers and his arms came around her, every cell in Brooke's body had come alive. Sitting on his lap, she'd felt his body tighten, and just remembering it now had her shifting in her seat.

But long, luscious kisses couldn't make up for the sheer panic in his eyes when he pulled away from her. Infuriating to think about it even now. Brooke made up her own mind, and she didn't appreciate him making decisions for her. After all, she'd grown from the type of girl who would just leap into bed without thinking about it. Although, she thought as she glanced down at her baby bump, she'd done it at least once. And maybe that was what Lucas had been thinking. That she'd slept with Owen so easily, why wouldn't she jump him, too?

God, that was humiliating.

Especially when it was true. If he'd made the slightest move, Brooke would have willingly gone to bed with him, and forget the bargain they'd made. She'd forgotten the way his kisses could make her feel, and oh, how she wanted to know what else he could make her feel.

"What in the hell are you thinking about?" he asked, his voice a low rumble.

"What?" she jolted a little, immensely grateful he couldn't read minds.

"Just a tip, Brooke, but poker's not your game." He shook his head. "I'm sitting here watching your expression shift and change with every thought running through your brain. Want to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing," she said. Though she wanted to talk about that kiss and the way he'd pulled back and shut her down, this wasn't the place for that conversation. Not when they were surrounded by half the town. "I'm just mentally packing, preparing for the trip tomorrow."

"Right." Clearly, he didn't believe her. But he was going to accept it. "Okay. Chase said he'd have the jet ready to leave whenever we get to the airport."

Lucas had arranged to have Chase fly them out to LA as part of his piolet, and Brooke was looking forward to it. She was so nervous about this upcoming meeting that being able to pace restlessly on the flight was going to be nice.

Actually, Lucas had taken not only their flight but their hotel reservations out of her hands and didn't mention it until it was done. She should have been irritated, since she was completely capable of making reservations, but instead, she thought it was sweet. Which only went to prove that their kiss had seriously short-circuited her brain.

"You didn't have to ask Chase to fly us."

Lucas shrugged. "He said he needed the hours and it was no big deal, and it's better than flying commercial."

"It would have to be," she said and tried to smile. His eyes gleamed in the candlelight as he watched her. "I'm glad you're still going with me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"After the other night…" There, she'd brought it up anyway, despite vowing that she wouldn't. But then again, it was hard not to talk about something that was constantly on her mind.

"You were right," he said, tapping his fingers against the tabletop.

"That's unexpected," she said, keeping her voice even, soft, not sure where he was going with this. "But I'm always happy to hear it. What was I right about?"

He leaned closer. "About showing affection for each other. If we want to make this marriage look real to everyone, then you were right." As if to prove it, he reached across that table and took her hand in his.

Heat skittered up her arm to settle in her chest, his thumb stroked the back of her hand, and his gaze locked on hers. "I'm with you, Brooke. For the long haul. We made a deal, and I keep my word. You know that."

"I never doubted it," she said honestly. No matter what else. Lucas Scott kept his promises. Which meant, she thought sadly, that he would not be the one to cross that no-sex line. If the line was to break, it was up to her to do it. Now all she had to do was figure out if it was what she really wanted to do or not.

"Good. So we'll show affection. Make this marriage as real as we can…" He paused, then added, "While keeping to the bargain we already made." As if everything were settled, he gave her hand a pat and let go to sit back and pick up his after-dinner coffee.

Brooke stewed quietly. How was it possible to both win and lose at the same time?

"Brooke!" Rachel, a wide smile lighting up her face, hurried up to their table with Mouth just a few steps behind her. "Oh, I'm so glad we ran into you tonight."

She glanced across the table. "Hi, Lucas. Don't mean to interrupt, but I just have to tell someone."

"What's going on?" Brooke asked, standing to hug her friend.

Rachel gave her a squeeze, then reached back for Mouth's hand before looking at Brooke again. "We just found out today. We're having a girl." Her eyes filled with tears that she blinked furiously to keep at bay. "God, I've been tearing up all afternoon. Can't seem to stop myself. Don't really want to. I'm going to have a daughter, Brooke."

Happy for her friend, Brooke pulled her in for another hug and then kissed Mouth's cheek. "Congratulations, you two."

"Yeah," Lucas said, "add mine to that." He shook Mouth's hand. "That's great news. Really."

"Yeah, it is," Mouth said, pulling Rachel to his side and holding on to her as if worried she might try to make a break for it. "And if she's half as gorgeous as her mother, she's going to be a beauty."

"Mouth…" Rachel sighed a little and gave him a kiss. "When will you find out, Brooke? Can't wait to see what you're going to have."

"I was thinking about being surprised," Brooke admitted, only because she couldn't say that up until a couple of weeks ago, she hadn't really allowed herself to think about the baby.

"Oh, how will you get things ready?" Rachel asked. "No, you've got to know. The suspense would kill me."

Laughing, Brooke said, "I'll think about it."

"Okay, good. Now, we're going to have dinner and plan our baby girl's future, right up through college," Rachel said, laughing. "Oh, Brooke, you can help me with the nursey…"

"I'd love to." It would be great practices for her. She hadn't even begun to think of that, but that was not surprising, since there'd been so much more to concentrate on lately.

"Okay, we'll talk soon."

When Rachel and Mouth walked off to their own table, Brooke sat down again and watched Lucas as he reached for the check folder.

Rachel was in love and lucky enough to have Mouth love her back. Brooke shot a sidelong glance at Lucas as he sucked several bills into the folder for their waiter. He loved her, she knew. But he wasn't in love with her, and that was the difference between her relationship and her friend's. Still, Brooke was lucky, too. Lucas was here. With her. He'd changed his life around to be there for her.

And they'd had that kiss that had stirred up feelings she'd thought she no longer had for him. Was there something more than friendship between them? Was it worth the risk of losing him to find out?

* * *

Los Angeles was big and noisy and crowded, and Brooke loved it. From the packed freeways to the mobs of tourists wandering down Hollywood Boulevard, everything was so different from Tree Hill and Brooke felt energized. Of course, being with Lucas had that effect on her, too.

From flying in on the private jet to their penthouse suite at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, it was as if she and Lucas were wrapped up in some fantasy together. The two-bedroom suite was decorated in pale greys, with hardwood floors, beamed ceilings and glass tables. There was a tiled terrace off the living room and a waist-high concrete balcony railing. The gas fireplace in the main room flickered with dancing flames, even in June.

Brooke spent that first night alone in her bedroom, unable to sleep – not just because she was nervous about her meeting with the producer the following morning. But because Lucas was right there with her and still so far away.

He'd been good as his word, making small, affectionate gestures in front of the housekeeper and the when they were out together. But when they were alone, he was careful to be…careful. He didn't seem to be having any difficulties keeping his distance from her, so maybe she was wrong about all this, she told herself. Maybe she was the only one who couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. Who couldn't help wondering what more might be like?

"How'd the meeting go?" Lucas sat across from her, a sea breeze ruffling his hair as he watched her, waiting.

He'd loosened the dark red tie at his neck and left off his steel-grey suit jacket. The long sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled back to the elbows, and his long legs were stretched out, crossing at the ankle.

They were on the terrace of the penthouse suite, and evening was settling in. On the glass-topped table between them was a pitcher of iced tea and two tall glasses provided by room service. It had been a long day. Brooke'd had her meeting with the producer, and Lucas had taken care of some business with the west coast branch of his publisher. This was really the first chance they'd had to talk since breakfast in the restaurant that morning.

Brooke took a breath and sighed it out. How did she explain what it had been like to hear Tamara Stiles praising Clothes over Bros? All her life, she'd been striving to matter. Maybe it had started out as an effort to finally earn her parents' pride, but at some point her motivation had shifted. It wasn't only about them anymore, but about Brooke herself. She'd wanted to prove to everyone – including herself – that she was more than a rich man's daughter. That she had more to offer.

Okay, a fashion line wasn't curing cancer or ending nuclear war, but she was doing something that made people happy, she told herself slightly. Sure, she enjoyed what she did, but knowing that other people did, too, was what made it all so good.

Now, here in Hollywood she'd reached the very thing she'd been aiming for. There were people here who wanted to produce a whole show around her and her brand. And she wasn't thrilled. She should be. This was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This was the X marks the spot on her private treasure map.

Looking at Lucas, she tried to tell him what she was feeling, but she couldn't explain it, since she wasn't herself yet. Maybe she just needed time to think. Distance to put it all in perspective.

"Brooke?" His features reflected concern. "It didn't go well?"

"No," she answered quickly with a shake of her head. "It went fine. She loves the brand – said it has amazing potential to grow with a TV format. Like 'Martha Stewart'."

He frowned a little at that. "Potential? What's that supposed to mean? It's already a hit. Isn't that why she wanted you to come talk with her."

"That's what I thought, too." Brooke tried to settle and couldn't, so she stood up and walked the length of the private terrace. He was right when he'd once said she needed room to pace when she was thinking. But this time, she felt as though she could walk all the way back to North Carolina and things still wouldn't be clear.

When she came back up to the table, she didn't look at Lucas, but instead turned to face the valley view, her hands flat atop the wide concrete rail. "Tamara says for the show to go national we'd have to make some changes to the brand."

"If she loves it, why does she want to change it?"

She looked over her shoulder at him. "Funny, I asked myself that same question."

"You should." He stood up, too, and joined her at the railing.

A sea breeze drifted through Hollywood and brushed past them like a damp caress. Brooke pushed her hair back and lifted her face into the soft wind before looking up at Lucas.

He was so steady. So strong. And she was so grateful he'd come with her. She was out of her element here. In Tree Hill, actually across most of the east coast, her brand was well known. But here she was just one of a crowd of supplicants trying to take that next step up on the ladder.

Resting one hip against the balcony rail, she said, "Tamara says the brand has 'something' and the video and all the hype that happened after on social media really gave it the kind of push they need to build a show."

"Okay…"

"But," she said, shifting her gaze again, out to the valley and the smudge of ocean she could see in the distance, "to go national, the brand has to be polished, have less of a small town feel, so that it will appeal to everyone."

"Small town?" he asked. "North Caroline, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts and New York - they're not small towns, and the brand sells."

"It does," she said, and again, Lucas was saying pretty much what she'd said to herself after leaving the meeting. "She says that with a studio and professional crew – not to mention scriptwriters – we might make it big."

"Might."

"Well, she can't guarantee it, of course," Brooke admitted. "And I wouldn't have believed her if she'd tried. But I never saw a problem with my stores, or my magazine or any of it."

"Seems to work fine," he agreed.

"She said," Brooke added after a long minute, "that at first they'd want to do the taping here. In Hollywood."

He went still. "So you'd have to live here."

"That was part of it, yes." She looked at him again and tried to read what he was thinking. But except for the flash in his eyes, his features were cool, blank. "They would, in theory, tape a short season all at once, so I'd have to be here in California for at least a few weeks."

"Weeks." He nodded thoughtfully but didn't say anything else.

Seconds ticked past into minutes, and still the quiet between them grew. Brooke's own mind was racing, going over the meeting again, what living in California for weeks at a time might mean to her. To Lucas. The baby. There were too many questions and too few answers.

"This is Hollywood, Lucas," she said a little wistfully. "They're the experts. And this chance, it's what I've been aiming for"

"Sounds like you got it." No inflection to his voice, giving no clue to what he was thinking.

I don't know," she said softly. What was more, she didn't know if she wanted it anymore.

Yes, LA was exciting. Hollywood had such cachet, deserved or not. Even their hotel, the Chateau Marmount, was a legend in a town filled with them. Movie starts as far back as the '20s had stayed in this hotel, and it was as if their spirits remained, because the hotel felt….out of time somehow. The stars still flocked to this place, this city.

Dreams were born, lived….or died, all in this one city. And Brooke didn't know any more if she wanted what was offered here. "This all comes back to that video," she mused, shaking her head at the irony of having something she hated be at the base of what could be the realization of her dreams.

"Well," she amended, "I guess it was more about how we handled the video than the video itself. That's what caught her attention, really. Tamara said he liked how we turned it around, used that video to spark more changes."

"Not we, Brooke," Lucas said softly. "You. You did it. You faced down that video, took that ugly mess and made it work for you."

She smiled to herself and pulled a lock of windblown hair from across her eyes. "You know, I really did. But, Lucas, without you I don't think I could have. You're the one who helped me see that hiding wasn't the answer. You were right there. Standing with me. Helping me. You gave my baby a father."

His eyes darkened, swirled with emotions that flashed past too quickly for her to read. And suddenly, she didn't care what he was thinking, feeling. Right now all she knew was what she felt.

"Ever since we kissed," she said softly, sliding her hand along the railing until she found his and covered it with her own. "I've been thinking about more."

"Me too." He looked down at their joined hands, then into her eyes.

"That no-sex line you talked about?" she said, despite the tightness in her throat, the galloping of her heart. "The one you said we shouldn't cross?"

"Yeah?" His eyes darkened again. A muscle in his jaw twitched.

"I want to cross it."

"Me too." Lucas reached for her, and she went to him eagerly. He pulled her in close, locked his arms around her and kissed her with a raging hunger that shattered every last thread of control she might have clung to.

Brooke lifted her arms to hook around his neck and held him to her as his mouth took hers. Their tongues tangled together in a silent dance of passion that sent tingle of expectation skittering through her veins. Better even than the kiss that had filled her dreams for days, this one promised more than just a few minutes of heat. This kiss promised an inferno to come, and Brooke readily jumped into the flames.

She lost herself in the wonder of the moment, of having him touch her, hold her, and kiss her. For days she'd been she'd watched him try to keep a safe distance between them. And now at last, the wall separating them was coming down in a rush.

His hands swept up and down her back, and Brooke wanted to peel out of her sleeveless sunshine yellow dress. She wanted his hands on her skin – those strong, rough hands that showed such gentleness. She wanted all of him against her, inside her.

He tore his mouth from hers, and for one horrible second, Brooke though he was going to pull away from her again. To back off from what was happening. Breathe catching in her lungs, heart pounding in her chest, she looked up at him and knew she needn't have worried.

"That's it," he muttered thickly and bent to scoop her up into his arms.

"Lucas!"

"Quiet," he ground out through clenched teeth. "We're too far gone to stop now, Brooke. I swear I will stop, though, if you say no," he added. "So don't say no."

She shook her head, cupped his cheek in the palm of his hand. "I'm not. I'm saying hurry up."

"That's my girl."

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

Mature content warning!

* * *

He marched through the living area and straight into the big bedroom. There were two in the penthouse suite, and last night they'd been in those separate rooms. Not tonight, though, Brooke thought. Tonight, things would change. He walked to the wide bed, reached down and tugged the silky grey duvet off and let it slide to the floor. Then he set Brooke on her feet but kept a firm grip on her as if half-afraid she'd disappear if he stopped touching her. But she wasn't going anywhere.

Brooke turned in his grasp, pulled her hair to one side and said softly, "Help me with the zipper?"

He did, his fingertips trailing along her spine as the material fell open. She shivered when he bent to kiss the base of her neck, and an instant later, her dress was sliding off her body to lie on the floor like a puddle of sunlight. Wearing just her cream-colored bra and panties and a pair of three-inch taupe heels, she stood in front of him, letting him look his fill.

She was a little nervous, because her body was so different now. Brooke had been so careful for so long, counting every calorie, watching every bite, but since Lucas' proposal, he'd been coaxing her to eat more. Now Brooke was rounded, fuller, and the mound of the baby was distinct enough that she actually thought to cover it with her hands.

He stopped her, though, holding her hands in his and tugging them aside. "No, don't hide from me." Shaking his head, he let his gaze sweep over her, top to toe and back again. A slow smile curved his mouth. "You make a hell of a picture, Brooke."

What she saw in his eyes made her feel beautiful. Desirable. She released a breath she hadn't known she was holding and reached for the buttons on his shirt. Then she pulled the tie from around his neck and tossed it onto a nearby chair. "You're wearing too many clothes," she whispered.

"Yeah, we can take care of that." He did. In what felt like a blink, he was undressed, laying her back on the bed and covering her with his body.

She sighed at the first contact of skin to skin. God, it felt good. Right. The cool sheets at her back, Lucas' hot skin against the front of her. Sensations swarmed inside her, and she fought to breath past the rush of them.

She smoothed her palms across the broad expanse of his chest, and he hissed in a breath in reaction. Brooke smiled, loving how much he was affected by her. Knowing that he was as swept away as she was. She rubbed her thumbs across his flat nipples unit he groaned deeply, then dipped his head to take one of her hard nipples into his mouth.

Her smile slipped away, lost in the rising tide of heat enveloping her. His tongue swirled across her sensitive skin, and he ran the edge of his teeth across her nipple as well. Brooke moaned softly and arched her back, moving into him. When he sucked at her, she whispered his name, threaded her fingers through his hair and held him to her.

She didn't ever want him to stop. Brooke's eyes closed on a wave of heat swamping her senses. She'd never known anything like this before. The feel of his mouth on her was incredible, and when he ran one hand down the length of her body, she shivered. His hands, so scarred and callused from years of hard work, touched her skin with a rough tenderness that left her breathless.

He lifted his head, and she nearly whimpered at the loss of his mouth against her breast. But she stared up into his eyes and felt herself falling into that churning aqua sea of sensations. How had she gone so long, without him touching her?

"I've wanted this for so long, Brooke," he whispered, stroking one hand across her breasts, down her rib cage. "But you've gotta be sure."

She actually laughed a little, to think that he was giving her a way out this time. But no, they were through turning from each other. For tonight, for now, all that was important was the two of them. She didn't even want to think about tomorrow, but there was one thing she had to reassure herself on.

"I'm absolutely sure. But, Lucas…." She paused and took his face between her palms. "Remember what we promised each other. No matter what else happens, we stay friends."

"Pretty girl, right now I'm feeling really friendly." He grinned, took her mouth in a long kiss that had her insides melting into a puddle, and then said, "Yeah. Friends. Always."

She nodded, because she was too full of emotions to speak. Brooke couldn't even identify everything she was feeling. All she knew was that in this moment in time, she was right where she wanted to be. But neither of them needed words right now. All they needed was to feel. To explore. Experience.

As if he heard her thoughts, he slid one hand down her body to stop over the curve of the baby she carried. Brooke went perfectly still, wondering what he would do, what he was thinking. Pregnant women couldn't be very alluring, right?

"Stop thinking," he ordered in a hush.

"What?"

"You're worrying. About how you look, of all things." Lucas shook his head as his gaze met hers. "Can't you tell that I think you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen?"

"Lucas…"

He smoothed his hand across her baby bump, then bent to kiss both her and the child within. There was so much tenderness in the action, in his eyes, that in that instant, Brooke was lost. Her heart filled to bursting, she felt the sting of tears in her eyes and impatiently brushed them away. She wanted nothing to blur this image of him. Instead, she etched it into her heart and mind do she'd never forget.

He looked up at her, his eyes shining, and all she could think was that she loved him. Beyond friendship, beyond sense, beyond anything. Brooke was in love with Lucas.

When had it happened? Had it always been inside her, just waiting to come back out? And what was she supposed to do about it now? If Lucas knew what she was feeling, he'd pull away again, and Brooke knew she wouldn't be able to stand that. So she'd hide what she felt. Keep it locked up inside her so she wouldn't have the pain of seeing him turn from her.

Reaching for him, she stroked her fingers over Lucas' cheek, then across his lips, defining them with the lightest of touches. There was so much she wanted to say to him and couldn't.

Finally, thought, when she was sure her voice wouldn't break, she said only, "You're going to make me cry."

"Oh, no," he assured her, giving her a slow smile and a wicked wink. "I'm going to make you scream."

"Promises, promises," she said, keeping it light, not wanting him to guess at what she'd just discovered.

"I always keep my word," he reminded her, then shifted his hand down to cup her center.

Brooke grasped and instinctively lifted her hips, rocking into his touch, wanting more, needing more. And he gave it to her. His thumb caressed that one sensitive sport while he speared two fingers into her heat. Within and without, Brooke felt on fire. She wouldn't have been surprised to see actual flames licking at the mattress beneath her.

She grabbed at his shoulders, her fingers flexing to hold on as gentle exploration gave way to desperations.

He kissed her, touched her, lavished attention on Brooke's breasts, her neck, her inner thighs, driving her wild with a kind of need she'd never known before.

"You smell so damn good," Lucas whispered against her throat. "Your scent stays with me everywhere I go." He kissed her neck, licking, tasting. "You're there in my dreams, Brooke. I can't shake you."

"Then stop trying to," she told him and he lifted his head to look at her.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm done with that. You're here to stay."

One breathless second passed, the two before he kissed her, taking her mouth in a celebration of need and passion. God, she wanted to drink him in, drown in him enough. Hair, face, shoulders, back. She loved the feel of his muscles shifting beneath her palms.

Then he moved to kneel in front of her, and Brooke held her breath as he entered her. One long, slow thrust and he claimed everything she was, and she sighed as a shiver slid through her body. Lifting her legs, she wrapped them around him and pulled him deeper, higher.

His body moved in hers, in a rhythm that moved faster and faster. She groaned, sighed, at the luscious feel of his hard length taking her so completely. Silently, he offered her more, demanded the same. He looked down into her eyes, and she couldn't have looked away from that heated stare if it meant her life.

Anticipation coiled in the pit of her stomach as tension settled even deeper within. Brooke moved with him, racing to match his rhythm, rushing toward whatever was waiting for her. Always before, sex had been a quick bout of stress relief. A subtle pop of pleasure that had left her mildly satisfied and silently wondering what all the big fuss was about.

Then she found out. His fingertips stroked her core while his body moved in hers, and she shattered, clawing at his back, whimpering his name through a throat to tight air could barely pass. Mind spinning, she held on to him and rode the pulsing flashes of the brightness that seemed to blind her.

"Lucas!" Her hips were still rocking with the force of that climax, and before she had time to adjust, to understand, he was pushing her past that pleasure to a place she'd never been before.

Her body felt raw, too sensitive, too everything, but Lucas was relentless. "I can't," she whispered, shaking her head, looking up at him. "I mean, I already..."

"Again," he said tightly and drove himself deep inside her. He lifted her hips, tossed her legs over his shoulder and went even deeper than he had been.

Brooke wouldn't have thought it possible, but while her body was still quivering from the most amazing climax she'd ever experienced, she felt it preparing for another. She could barely breath and he didn't care. Her head tipped back into the mattress as she hands reached for his thighs. She was lifted so high she had no way to match his movements. She was at his mercy, and he was showing none.

Brooke have never been so at the mercy of her own body. She'd never known the kind of overwhelming sensations that were taking her over. Had never been so out of control with a man. Never let any man take her over as Lucas was doing. And she hadn't even guessed that her body could feel so much.

He was unstoppable. Indefatigable. His hips were like pistons, pumping into her, pushing her pas all boundaries, all restrictions. Brooke stared up at him, licked her lips and knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Not after this.

"Come on, Brooke," he whispered, voice low. "Let me watch you fly. Let go, Brooke. Just let go."

"I am, Lucas," she said breathlessly, as her heels dug into his back. He was battering away the last of her defenced. Tension clawed at her. That first orgasm was as good as forgotten in her body's rush to claim another.

"Now, Brooke," he whispered, his big hands holding her bottom, squeezing soft flesh, giving her one more sensation to add to the mix. "Come now."

She laughed a little, but the sound came out as a sob for air. Her hands slapped at the sheets, clutching the fabric as if looking for a way to hold herself in place.

"You're not giving me a choice. I feel…"

"Look at me," he said, and she heard the fight for control in his voice.

She opened her eyes, met his, and while their gazes were locked, he pushed he over the edge of desire into a completion that was so foreign to her that she was lost in the sweeping tide of it. Brooke stared into those aqua eyes as her world rocked and he body splintered. She screamed, unable to stop the wild rush of release as it grabbed her and shook her down to the bone.

Brooke watched him, lost in those eyes, as her body, still trembling, held on to his and cradled him as her let go himself.

When he collapsed on top of her, Brooke held him tightly. Their hearts raced in tandem, their bodies quaking as if they were shipwrecked survivors clinging to each other for safety. But it was so much more than that.

He rolled to one side, taking her with him, and Brooke laid her head on his chest, listening to the steadying beat of his heart. Loving him was going to be hard, she knew, but there was nothing she could do about it. He was in her heart forever. And she would never, for as long as she lived, forget what they'd shared here tonight. On the night she knew she loved him.

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	11. Chapter 11

Mature content warning.

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Lucas lay there like a dead man. If the hotel had been on fire, he'd burn to a crisp because there was no way he could move. He doubted his legs still worked.

Hell, he'd been with her plenty of times in the past, but not once had he experienced anything like what had just happened. He scraped one hand across his face and stared at the ceiling. He'd crosses a line. No, he'd erased a line. And he didn't give a damn. All he could think about was that he wanted her. Again. Now.

She curled on her side and slid one leg across his, and the silky glide of her skin against his stirred him into need in a flat second. Who knew that there would still be such heat between them? He rubbed one hand down her back, and she cuddled into him, sliding her palm across his chest.

She was…amazing. More than that, but he didn't have the words. What he had was need that only she could meet.

That was dangerous territory, though, and he had to lay out some signposts before they headed father down this road. Now that the line was gone, new ones had to be drawn. To protect both of them.

"Lucas…"

She whispered his name on a breathy sigh, and instantly his body tightened. Didn't seem to matter that he barely had his breath back from the most incredible sex of his life – his body was apparently raring to go again.

But right now he had to give his brain the upper hand. If he could manage it while she was looking at him through soft eyes, her tongue running across her bottom lip.

"Okay, we need to talk," he said and winced because he'd just sounded like a damn cliché.

"No, we don't," she said and smoothed her fingertips across his nipple.

"That's not helping." Muffling a groan, Lucas caught her hand in his and held her still. If she kept touching him like that, talking would be the last thing on his mind. "Brooke, this changes things."

She chuckled, tipped her head back and looked up at him. "It sure does."

"Not funny," he warned, going up on one elbow and rolling her over onto her back. Still, seeing the softness and the humor in her eyes, he nearly smiled back. Then he remembered the line. Smoothing her hair back from her face, he ran his fingers through the long, silky threads and had to fight to concentrate. "We have to talk about what this is going to mean between us."

She sighed, stiffened a little, and then said. "That it'll be even easier for us to show affection toward each other?"

Oh, he wanted to show her some affection right now. But before anything else got started, he had to make sure she knew there was a limit on how much he was willing to give. How much he was willing to risk.

He looked into her eyes – eyes that shone like emeralds in the sun – and shook his head. Taking a deep breath to center himself, he said, "Sure. Yeah. That's a goof point. But what I want to say is…" what was he trying to say?

Brooke pushed herself up slightly, bracing one hand against his chest. "Want me to say it for you? That I shouldn't let my little heart fall in love with you because you're not interested in love?"

"Brooke…"

"Or is it that you don't want me to make the mistake of thinking that our marriage is going to be real all of a sudden?"

"That's not what I was going to say," he argued, though he had to admit it was pretty damn close.

"Right." She tipped her head to one side. "You can stop panicking, Lucas. We were friends and now we're friends plus. That's all. I get it. That about sum everything up?"

Sounded like it did. Although why it bothered him that she was being so reasonable about it all, he didn't know. He hadn't expected calm, and he should be grateful for it. Lucas wasn't even sure why he felt oddly…disappointed. "Yeah, I guess it does. Look, the point is, we had the no-sex agreement, and that's shot to hell…"

"Not going to say I'm sorry about that," she put in.

"No, me either," he admitted. They could at least be honest with each other. "But I have to make sure you know that sex doesn't mean…"

She pushed herself off his chest into a sitting position, shoved her tangled hair back and looked him dead in the eye. "For heaven's sake, Lucas. I'm not going to throw my heart at your feet. I know you, remember? I know that Peyton messed your head up so bad you don't even want to hear the word love."

His frown deepened. Was it a blessing or a curse that Brooke knew him so well? "This isn't about Peyton," he ground out.

"Oh, please. It's always about Peyton."

The growing darkness seeped into the room, shadow filling every corner. Lucas' gaze followed the line of Brooke's back and down to the curve of her behind. The woman had a great behind. Then, when she turned to look back at him, she was profiled and her breasts were high and full, the rounded outline of the baby on full display. She was beautiful. Even the fire in her eyes couldn't dim his reaction to the woman.

Then she started talking. "She moved on, Lucas, but you're still running your life by what happened to you with her."

"No, I'm not."

"Really? You haven't been involved in a single relationship since she left." She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "Why?"

"Not interested."

"Liar." Now she frowned at him. "At least be honest and admit that you won't let yourself trust anyone anymore."

"I trust you," he pointed out. And why did her suddenly feel as though he had to defend himself?

She sighed as if disappointed, but damned if he knew what the problem was.

"Lucas, you're cheating yourself out of maybe finding something amazing, all because Peyton convinced you that feelings weren't to be trusted." She bent down and tapped her index finger against his chest. "Well, you're wrong to give her so much power."

"How did this get to be about Peyton?" he asked, shoving himself off the bed to stare down at her. "She doesn't run my life. Never has. Never will. I stopped thing about her the day she said 'no'. I'm happy for her and Jake. I'm living my life the way I want to, Brooke."

"You're probably the most stubborn man I've ever met."

"Thanks."

"Not really a compliment." She sighed a little and chewed at her bottom lip.

He dropped both hands to her hips and pulled her in closer. She had to tip her head back to meet his eyes, but she did. "I trust you. That's good enough for me."

"Okay," she said, nodding, watching his eyes. "I just don't want you to be sorry one day for marrying me and cheating yourself out of love somewhere down the line."

"Were getting married, Brooke." He smiled softly. "And, if we get sex, too, all the better."

Her returning smile wasn't wide, but it was there.

"Yeah, that works for me, too."

"I do love you, Brooke. Always will. I just don't want you to think of what we have as more than what we have."

"Got it. You're not in love with me."

"Right." He didn't know what the hell he was feeling at the moment, but it wasn't the kind of love that people built dreams around. He knew that much.

"Fine. Don't worry about it." She shook her hair back and said, "Oh, stop looking like you're kicking a puppy. I'm a big girl Lucas. I walked into this with eyes wide open, and I didn't ask for undying declarations of romantic love."

No, she hadn't, he realized. In fact, she was acting like what had happened between them was no big deal. And he didn't know how he felt about that. Damn it, Brooke had a way of turning everything around on him so that Lucas didn't know whether he was coming or going, and she'd just managed it again. Was he worried about nothing?

"So, are we finished talking?" She asked, running one hand down his chest, across his abdomen and lower still, to curl her fingers around the thick, hard length of him.

He hissed in a breath through his teeth. "Yeah, I think that abut covers everything."

"Good to hear," she said and kissed him while her fingers moved on him, sliding, caressing. "So don't just stand there, broody. Show me what you've got."

"Challenge accepted," he muttered. He felt like he was going to explode. How could he want her so desperately?

Lifting her, he half turned and braced her back against the closest wall. "Not slow this time, Brooke. This time it's going to be hot and fast."

She leaned into him, wrapped her legs around his waist and nibbled at his neck. "Show me"

Hard and aching, he slid inside her and instantly felt her body tighten around his. Silky heat surrounded him, and he groaned as Brooke scrapped her nails across his skin and hooked her ankles behind his back. She met him eagerly, hungrily, and his brain short-circuited as he stared into the eyes of a woman he'd though he knew.

Her body, his, moving together, in a mad, wild tangle of desire and need that griped them both. One corner of his mind yelled at him to lay her down, take his time with her. But that calm, reasonable voice was shouted down by the other half of him demanding that he have her now. Now.

"Lucas, Lucas…." She twisted her hips on him, increasing the friction, increasing the need until he thought he'd go blind with it.

"Come on, baby." He kissed her, hard and long ad deep, and took her breath as his own, devouring her as she was devouring his body. "Come with me. Come with me now."

He felt her body tighten, felt the first flickering pulse of her climax and watched her eyes glaze. And while she rocked with the orgasm shaking through her, he forgot about control ad emptied himself inside her.

Caught in the web spinning between them, Lucas knew that I spite of what he'd said before, nothing would ever be the same.

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	12. Chapter 12

After a few days in LA, Brooke was ready to be home in Tree Hill. Now that she was back him, she might miss Hollywood a little, but it was good to be back. As summer heated up and June inched toward July, the days got longer and the people moved slower. It was easier pace than the city, and that was a part of its appeal.

She'd heard people say that anyone could live up north, but it took real character to make it through a southern summer.

Brooke wasn't so sure about that. But one thing she did know – she was grateful the diner had AC. The minute she and Haley, stepped inside, Brooke almost whimpered.

"Oh, it's going to be one ugly summer." Haley said as she signalled to the waitress Amanda and then tugged Brooke to a booth.

Brooke flopped onto the red vinyl bench seat and stacked her shopping bags beside her.

"I let you talk me into buying too much." Haley breathed out, stacking her own bags.

"It's never too much," Brooke said. "Besides, I'm getting married. I need…stuff."

Stuff didn't begin to describe all the tings Brooke had picked up that morning. She and Haley had spent the last several hours at the mall, including a visit to the new bridal shop.

And that shop was were Brooke had gone a little nuts. She was only carrying a few of the things she had bought. The rest were being delivered, Brooke wanted a small wedding, in the evening, maybe, on the beach somewhere. She hadn't talk to Lucas about it yet, and she knew her mother wouldn't be happy with the venue, but Brooke was. A small simple wedding, with just friends and family there, made the most sense to Brooke. After all, it wasn't as if this was ever going to be a real marriage.

Her heart ached at that thought, but she had to acknowledge the truth, no matter how painful. Lucas was never going to know she loved him. Never going to love her back, and she had to find a way to be all right with that. If she couldn't…then maybe marriage wasn't the answer. For either off them.

"I love the dress you picked out," Haley said. "That pale yellow just looks gorgeous on you, and knee length will keep you from passing out in this heat.

"Thanks," Brooke said. "I like it, too. My mother will no doubt want me in yards of couture lace and tulle, but that doesn't make sense for a beach ceremony. And besides," she added wryly, "it's tacky to wear white on your wedding day when your baby bump is showing."

Haley laughed a little, then shook her head. "You're going to be a beautiful bride. But are you really sure you want it outside? Even in the evening it'll be hot."

"I'm sure," Brooke said. "And if it's okay with you, I was thinking, we can have the reception by your pool, and if it gets too hot, people can go into the house for a break. Of course, I haven't talked to Lucas about any of this yet, so he may have different ideas…."

Haley waved one hand at her. "He'll be good with whatever you want. He loves you, right?"

Sighing a little, Brooke leaned toward the other woman ad whispered, "Haley, you know the truth. I know you do."

"Sure I know," she said. "And I know Lucas. He's a great guy, Brooke, but he's not going to marry someone just to do her a favour. He cares for you. I can see it."

Care was a long way from love. Too long. Since they got back from California, they'd shared a bed and shared each other, every night, every morning and one memorable afternoon in his office. But they hadn't talked about Hollywood. Hadn't talked about their wedding. Hadn't talked about anything important. It was as if they were both holding back, and Brooke didn't know what to do about it.

"Het, Brooke, you okay?"

"What?" Sighing, she shook her head. "Sorry. I drifted."

"To somewhere nice? Maybe cooler" Haley asked.

"No, stayed right here in Tree Hill. Haley, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Are you good with this?" Brooke asked. "I mean playing along with the secret about Lucas and I getting married?"

"Absolutely." Haley paused when Amanda walked up to their table. She slid two tall glasses of ice water onto the table, and Haley sighed. "Bless you."

"Thanks, I'll take it," Amanda said, laughing. "You two been running around buying out Tree Hill?"

"Just put a dent in a few stores," Brooke assured her. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of why they'd come to the diner. And a salad just didn't sound the least bit appetizing. "Can I get a turkey sandwich? Potato salad?"

"Oh, me too, please," Haley said.

Amanda nodded and hurried off to tend to other customers. So when they were alone again, Haley took a long drink of her water, then said, "Anyway, why wouldn't I want you to marry Lucas? What's going on?" Haley watched her for a long minute. "You don't seem as excited as I thought you'd be over everything. I mane you're engaged, pregnant and have Hollywood knocking on your door."

"It's complicated," Brooke said and thought that might be the understatement of the century. She still didn't know what she was going to do about the offer from Tamara, and she had to let them know soon.

But if she took it, she would be giving up the kind of control that had made the brand hers in the first place. And did she really want to live in Hollywood for weeks at a time? If she did, what about Lucas? Would he move there with her? Stay in Tree Hill? And what about when she had the baby? What then? Would she be dragging the baby from state to state?

"Wow. Judging by your expression, wish I could buy you a beer."

Brooke sighed. "Me too. Or the most gigantic glass of wine in the state of North Carolina." She took a long drink of her ice water, letting it soothe her dry throat. "There's just so much going on right now, and I'm still getting emails from people about that stupid video…"

"No one who knows you cares about that thing, Brooke," Haley said.

"I know, but millions of people who don't know me have seen it." Just thinking of that made her want to cringe. Didn't matter if she'd managed to turn the tables. That she'd taken a vicious attack and made it work for her.

Whoever it was had tried to ruin her life, and knowing that person was still out there made her nervous. He'd wanted to make her life a misery. Wouldn't it infuriate him to realize that he'd inadvertently helped Brooke rather than hurt her? Wasn't it likely that he'd try something else in order to make trouble for her?

"Okay, yeah," Haley allowed, "millions of people saw the video, but now they're reading your magazine and buying your band, so hey. Win for you." She picked up her water glass, waited for Brooke to do the same and then clinked them together in a toast. "Seriously, don't let that weirdo bother you. I'm sure the authorities are going to find out who this guy is and stop him. Soon."

"I hope so," Brooke confessed. "I can't help wondering if he's going to be frustrated at how the video worked for me and try something else."

"I understand why you'd be worried about that, but honestly, I don't see it happening." Thoughtful, Haley looked at her. "Why would he? There're plenty of people left to screw with."

"I guess you're right." Brooke shrugged. But she couldn't quite shake the feeling that this whole video mess was not really over.

* * *

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	13. Chapter 13

Two days later, Brooke was furious.

The text she's received an hour before ran through her mind again.

 _'Brooke, we need to talk._

 _I'll be working some shifts at Tric_

 _for the next few days. Come and talk to me._

 _Owen.'_

The fact that he'd practically ordered her to come irritated her only half as much as the fact that she was going to see him at all. Why had Owen come to Tree Hill? Why had he texted her out of the blue after making it perfectly clear he wasn't interested in her or the baby?

Temper spiked inside her. Brooke hadn't told Lucas about Owen's text, because she knew he'd tell her not to go meet the man. But she had to, didn't she? Head to find out what he was up to. Why he was here. Had to tell him to go away and never come back. Once she had it all settled, she'd tell Lucas about it, of course. She wasn't going to lie to him about this.

Over the past few weeks, Brook had put Owen out of her mind completely, he had nothing to do with her or her baby. Lucas was her baby's father. Lucas was the man she loved. The man she was about to marry. Owen had no place in their lives. And the only reason she was going to see him was so she could tell him that to his face.

It was time to banish her past so she could go forward with her future.

She parked her car on the street, fed the meter and then hurried toward Tric. She rushed up the stairs sliding her had along the railing for support. Brooke smoothed her palms over her cream colored slacks, then tugged at the hem of her pale green blouse. The fabric was light but clung to the outline of her baby bump proudly.

She pulled open the heavy wooden door and surveyed the empty bar. She was right on time for this meeting, and she didn't want to be her any longer than she absolutely had to. A long mahogany bar stretched along one side of the room, and a dozen or more small round tables dotted the gleaming wood plank floor. Her gaze swept the room, and since it was basically empty, she spotted Owen instantly. He was sitting at a table in the back, in a shadowed corner, and Brooke sighed.

Owen had been a blip in her life. A moment out of time in her past. He had no part in her future, and that was what she'd come to tell him. As she approached, her heels tapping on the floorboards, he noticed her, and Brooke stiffened in response. She still couldn't believe she'd been foolish enough to spend the night with the man, but in her defence, just look at him.

Not as tall as Lucas, Owen had jet black hair, dark eyes and always just the right amount of scruff on his checks. He wore dark jeans and a black shirt and looked, as always, very self-satisfied.

The man was good looking, but he was as deep as a puddle.

"Brooke," he crooned as he stood to meet her, "you look beautiful."

"Thanks." She avoided her the kiss he aimed at her cheek and pretended not to notice his clearly false look of hurt and disappointment.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he asked.

"No, thanks."

"I'm glad you came to meet me," he said and managed to look both pleased and disappointed.

"Owen," she said. "I don't know what this is about, but I'm only here to tell you I don't want anything from you – except." She added as she had a brain flash, "to have you sign away your paternal rights to the baby."

"Okay," he said, waving his hand as if erasing the very thing she'd just asked for. "we can discuss that. But I want to discuss something else first."

Okay, so it wasn't the baby he was interested in. No big surprise there, after the way he's reacted when told he was going to be a father. So what had brought him back here?

The room was quiet and so was Owen's voice. He leaned toward her across the table, and Brooke had a moment to really look at him and wonder how she could ever have been attracted to the man in the first place. He was handsome, but in a stylized way that told her he spent a lot of time perfecting his look. The just long enough hair, the right amount of scruff of his face, the elegant, yet seductive pose he assumed, half lounging in the chair. He couldn't have been more different from Lucas.

Lucas was a man comfortable enough with himself that he didn't need to set a scene so that a woman would admire him. All he had to do was walk into a room and his confidence, his easy strength, would draw every woman's eye.

No, there was no comparison between Owen and Lucas.

And now all she wanted to do was wrap this up and get back to the man she loved.

"You've got quite the bump going there."

Hard to miss that, she thought, since her top clung to the rounded curve of her belly. And as if the baby was listening, it gave a solid kick, as if to say 'Let's get out of here, Mom. Go home to Daddy.' She smiled at the notion, and Owen smiled back, assuming her expression was meant for him.

Shaking her head a little, she said, "Yeah. That baby is growing. Everything's fine. And no, I don't need anything from you, Owen. I'm getting married, and he is this baby's father."

Owen tapped one finger against his bottom lip, then gave her a reluctant smile. "Yeah, I heard about that." When she looked surprised at that, he shrugged. "Gossip flies. Especially when it's about a fashion designer marrying a best-selling author."

Frowning now as a ribbon of suspicion twisted through her, Brooke said, "What are you getting at, Owen?"

"Well…. I will sign your paper…"

"Good. Thanks."

"if…" he said. "you are willing to do something for me."

A cold chill swept along her spine, twining itself with the suspicion and quickly tangling into greasy knots that made Brook shiver in response. Owen's eyes were fixed on hers, and she saw the speculative gleam shining in their depths.

"What do you want Owen?"

He smiled, and she saw briefly the man she'd slept with before he disappeared into a sly stranger. "Let's treat this like a business transaction, okay."

"So just say it." She folded her hands together on the table in front of her and kept her gaze fixed on him.

"I will keep quiet about the baby's father," he said with a wink, "if you agree to finance a little project I have in the works."

She blinked at him. The one thing she hadn't expected to hear from him was a threat of blackmail. Brooke was so furious with him, with herself, she could hardly draw breath. But Owen was oblivious of her thoughts and feelings, and went on outlining his business plan.

"Since you told me about the baby," he said, "I felt it was my duty to check on you. And I have found that your fiancé is very well off not to mention that you're not exactly shopping with food stamps, now are you. Why is it that you never mentioned that to me?"

"Because it's none of your business?" She ground out.

"But yes, it is." He leaned toward her again, reached out and covered her hand with his, and smiled into her eyes. "You plan to marry this guy soon, right?"

"Yes." One word, squeezed past the knot of fury and humiliation lodged in her throat.

"Then you can afford to help me. We will be business partners." He released her hand, sat back and smiled benevolently at her. "You, me and our baby."

Blackmail. Plain and simple. It was an ugly word, but it was the only one that fit. Brooke felt like an idiot for ever involving herself with this sad, shallow man. She could only hope that her genes would wipe out whatever of Owen was lingering in her baby. But even as she thought it, she realized that Lucas would be her child's father. He would be the role model her child needed – the guiding hand, the understanding heart – and that would more than make up for Owens faulty genes.

"Do we have an agreement, Brook?" he pursed his lips and positioned himself in the single slice of light piercing through the blacked out windows. "I will keep the secret and forgo my fatherly rights. All you have to do is agree to a little financial arrangement."

Brooke took a deep breath, shook her head and said, "No, Owen."

His smile disappeared. "Brooke, don't be foolish."

"You know when I was foolish, Owen?" she asked. "When I looked at you and saw more than was actually there. I'm thinking clearly now." Leaning across the table toward him, she said, "I won't give you a penny. You'll get nothing from me, Owen. Ever. So, you do your worst. Tell the world you're the baby's father. In fact," she said, as brilliance flashed in her mind, "I approve. Go ahead. Take out an ad in every paper….splash it across cyberspace, claim my baby as yours. It'll be easier to sue you for child support."

He gaped at her, his mouth opening and closing like a fish on a line. Oh, he hadn't expected this. He'd thought that Brooke would roll over and do just what he wanted to protect her own her own name. But she'd learned something with Lucas' help. You stood up to bullies. You didn't let them dictate your actions. So she was taking a stand here, to protect herself and her baby.

He looked absolutely stunned, and the knowledge that she'd caught him off guard gave Brooke a huge rush of please. Pushing up and away from the table, she looked down at him. "My husband will be my baby's father, and no child could ask for a better one. So do what you have to do, Owen. But you'll never get a dime from me."

Smiling, she turned around and stalked out of the bar. She felt…..liberated, and she couldn't wait to get home and tell Lucas all about this meeting and how she'd handled it.

Brooke never noticed the man in the corner who'd been surreptitiously talking pictures during her encounter with Owen.

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	14. Chapter 14

When his phone signalled an incoming text, Lucas checked it, expecting to hear from Brooke that she was headed home. He opened it, stared and felt his stomach drop to his feet.

A picture of Brooke and a dark-haired man seated at a table together, looking cozy, as the man held her hand and looked meaningfully into her eyes. The message accompanying the photo was short and to the point.

'You're a fool. She's meeting with Owen behind your back.'

Owen. Her baby's father. Lucas actually saw red. His vision blurred and darkened at the edges as he stared at the damning photo. Brooke was meeting the man who'd gotten her pregnant and turned his back on her. The man she'd claimed she didn't want anything to do with. Yet they looked pretty damn friendly, with him staring into her eyes while he held her hand.

She'd told Lucas she was going to do some wedding shopping in the city. Instead, she'd gone to meet another man. She'd lied to him. So what else had she lied to him about? His heart felt as I it were being squeezed by a cold, tight fist. He couldn't breathe, because the cold rage rising inside was choking him.

This was exactly what he'd worried about. Getting closer to Brooke only set him up for the pain he's felt the last time he'd let a woman into his life. Brooke knew what Peyton had put him through, and now she herself, the woman he'd thought of as his friend, was doing the same thing?

Why was she meeting Owen? Was she playing both of them against each other? Was she planning on walking out on him in favour of the guy who'd gotten her pregnant?

"What the hell, Brooke? What the hell is going on?" He couldn't stop staring at the picture.

Who the hell had sent him this? It had to be the same guy behind the video. Who the hell else would be watching Brooke and making sure Lucas knew what was happening? Bastard had a lot coming to him when he was finally caught.

Shutting his phone down, he stuffed it into his pocket as if he could wipe the image of Brook with another man from his mind if he just didn't have to look at it. Ain stabbed at him. This was so much worse than when Peyton had walked away. It cut deeper because Brooke was a part of him. She'd been his friend. His lover. His fiancée.

And now she was….what? He didn't know. All he was sure of was that he had some thinking to so. He wouldn't hold her to their engagement if this Owen was what she really wanted. But he'd be damned if he'd wish her well with the guy. Betrayal stung hard and settled in the center of his chest.

"Damn it, Brooke," he muttered. "What the hell were you doing with him?"

After all they'd shared, all they'd planned, she went to Owen in secret? Why? Brooke was his. They were building a damn life here. Didn't that mean anything? He had half a thought to hunt down Owen and beat his face to a pulp. But as satisfying as that would be, it wouldn't change the fact that Brooke had snuck of to meet him.

Lucas needed time to think. Space to do it in. slamming out of his office, he stalked out the house and jogged down the path. It was best for all involved if he wasn't home when she got back. Because he wasn't sure how he would handle it if she looked him dead in the eye and lied to him. Again.

Good thing her wasn't in love with her – or this would be killing him.

* * *

By the time Brooke made it home, her anger at Owen had dissipated and she felt as if she was thinking clearly for the first time in days.

It was time to stand up to all the men in her life. She'd sent Owen packing, and heck, maybe she'd scare Lucas into taking off, too. But she was tired of pretending, living a half-life.

She was in love with Lucas Scott, and today she was going to tell him just how lucky he was to have her. She didn't care if he wasn't in love with her right now. Brooke could wait. Because he loved her for who she was, and that was enough for her – for now. She had no doubt that he would come to feel the same way she did. He was only protecting himself after what Peyton had done to him.

Hardly surprising that he would keep his heart safe after having it crushed by betrayal.

But she was going to show him that love didn't have to be about pain. And she would make him listen.

She steered her car into the drive of the house that had really become home. Her heart was here.

Her heart was with the man who had always been her friend and was now her lover. The man who had offered to be a father to her child. How could she not love him and everything they'd found together?

She didn't need Hollywood. She didn't need dreams of fame and fortune. She didn't even need her parents' approval anymore. All she needed was Lucas.

When she parked the car, Brooke raced into the house, calling for him as she went from room to room. She'd been loner than she'd planned and so she expected him to be in his office, as she was most afternoons, writing. But he wasn't there, so she headed to the kitchen and tried not to hear how the heels of her shoes sounded like a frantic heartbeat against the wood floors. "Lucas?"

"He's not here," Rebecca said, poking her head into the room from the laundry room. "Took off jogging a few hours ago. Haven't seen him since."

Disappointed, Brooke asked, "Do you knew where he went?"

"Nope." Rebecca shook her head, then went back to whatever she'd been doing before. "He took off like a bat outta hell, though. Must be something bothering him."

Worry replaced disappointment, and Brooke chewed at her bottom lip. What could have happened while she was gone? "Okay, thanks. Um, I'll try his cell."

Brooke called and listened to the ring go on and on until finally his voicemail activated. She didn't leave a message, just hung up. And as she looked out the window, she wondered where he'd gone. And why.

* * *

An hour later, Lucas opened the front door and stalked into the house.

She'd tried to reach him a dozen times, but his phone went to voice mail and her texts to him went unanswered. By the time she heard him enter the house, Brooke's nerves were strung do tightly she could have played a tune them.

She followed the sound of his footsteps and found him in his office, pouring scotch into a heavy crystal tumbler. He glanced at her when she walked into the room, but there was no welcome on his face.

"Lucas? Is everything okay?"

"Interesting question," he said without answering at all.

The only light in the room came from the dying sun drifting through the wide windows at his back. He was a shadow against the light, and even at that, she saw the tightness on his features, the hard gleam in his eyes. And she wondered.

"I was worried," she said, walking a little closer.

"Yeah?" He laughed shortly, took a long drink of scotch and said. "Me too. So, did you find some great wedding stuff?"

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Is that right? His hand tightened around the glass, and even at a distance, she could see his knuckles whiten.

"I didn't really go to the city to shop."

He snapped his gaze[cm1] to hers. "Yeah, I know. See, you weren't the only one texting me today."

"What do you mean?" Worry curled in the pit of her stomach and sent long, snaking tendrils spiralling through her bloodstream.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and held it out to her. "Here. Tell me what you think."

Brooke suddenly didn't want to know what was on his phone. What had made his eyes so cold and his mouth so relentlessly grim. But she forced herself to walk to him, take the phone and turn it on. The photo was already keyed up.

She and Owen at their shadowy table, leaning toward each other, his hand covering hers. They looked….cozy. Intimate. If she didn't know what had happened between them, she might believe that they were lovers, intensely focused on only each other.

Oh, God. What must he have thought when he saw this. She took a breath, looked up at him. "Lucas…"

"You lied to me." His features were colder, harder than she's ever seen them. Even when Peyton left him, he hadn't looked this closed off. Untouchable.

"I didn't lie."

"Semantics. By not telling me you were meeting with Owen, you lied to me," he ground out through gritted teeth. "Damn it, Brooke."

He whirled around and threw the glass tumbler into wall, where it shattered, sounding like the end of the world. Despite the heat of that action, Lucas was coldly furious. When he whipped around to look at her, his sea-blue eyes were stormy and glinting with banked fury. "You're meeting with Owen behind my back."

"It wasn't like that."

"Really?" he pushed both hands through his hair. "Because that's just what it looks like in that picture. It said I was a fool, and I'm starting to think it's right."

Stunned, she stared at him. "Until now, you've said whoever was doing this was a lowlife. Now you're ready to take his ugliness over what I'm trying to tell you?" She took a step toward him. She hated that he stepped back, keeping her at bay. "Owen texted me. Said it was important that I meet him. So I went there to tell him to leave me alone."

"Yeah?" He cocked his head and gave her a sour smile. "You needed a quiet little romantic corner to do that?"

"It wasn't romantic, Lucas." She couldn't believe she was having to explain this. And wanted to kick herself for keeping it from him in the first place. "I don't want Owen. I want you."

"What's that matter? Owen not interested? Or, hey, maybe you're going to keep us both dangling. Is that the plan?" He shook his head and said, "Don't bother answering that. I don't need another lie."

"I'm not lying to you," she countered. God, she'd handled this all wrong. She should have gone to him, asked him to go with her. To face down Owen together. Instead, she'd wanted to clean up her own mess, and now it looked as though she'd simply traded one bad situation for a worse one. How could she make him see? Make him understand that he was wrong about all of this?

Then she realized what she had to do. What she should have done weeks ago when she'd first admitted the truth to herself. "Lucas, I love."

He laughed, but the sound was harsh, strained, as if it had scraped along his throat like knives. "God, Brooke, don't. You really think telling me that is going to convince me?"

Stung, she swallowed the ache and demanded, "Well, what will?"

"Nothing," he said, staring at her as if she were a stranger.

Brooke's heart hurt, and her breath was strangled in her lungs. She was losing everything and didn't know how to stop it. Lucas' gaze was locked with hers, and through her pain, Brooke realized that she wasn't just hurt, she was insulted. She was closer to him than to anyone she'd ever known. He knew her and he was still going to take some strangers word over hers?

She had to reach him. Had to fight for what they had, because if she gave up now, he'd never believe in her. Never accept that she loved him.

"You know me, Lucas," she said and saw his eyes flash.

"Thought I did," he acknowledged.

"Well, thanks for the benefit of the doubt." She crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself for comfort.

"What doubt? That picture says it all," he said.

"That picture says just what some jerk wanted it to say," she countered. His eyes were shuttered, his mouth tight and grim, and every inch of his tall, muscular body looked rigid with tension. She wasn't reaching him and she knew why. This wasn't just because of the photo. This went back much farther than that.

"This all comes back to Peyton," she said tightly.

"It has nothing to do with her." Lucas stalked across the room, as if he needed some distance from her. As if shutting her out wasn't enough. Then he turned around to face Brooke. "She's gone. Been gone for years."

"And she took your heart with her," Brooke said, though it cost her to admit it.

"Please." He snorted.

"I'm not saying you're still in love with her," she said, voice cold as steel. "I'm saying that the art of you that was willing to trust, to take a risk, left with her. You loved her, and she walked out."

"I don't need the recap," he said. "I was there."

"Yes, me too," she reminded him. "I was there for you. I saw what you did to yourself to get past her. You closed off a part of your heart. Your soul. You didn't want to trust anyone because you were afraid to be hurt again."

"Afraid? I'm not afraid."

"Come on, Lucas," she said. "At least be honest."

"Oh, like you?" he asked with a snort of derisive laughter.

She winced, because even she knew she'd had that shot coming.

"Today was the first time I've ever lied to you, Lucas, and I didn't like it. You know me. So whatever it is you're felling right now isn't about me meeting with Owen."

"Is that so? Then what is it about, Brooke?"

"It's about you using that stupid photo as an excuse to back away from me before I get to close."

If anything, his features tightened even further. "That's bull."

"Is it?" She stomped across the room, stopped right in front of him, tipped her head back and looked into his dark, angry eyes. "I didn't do anything wrong. Well, okay," she admitted. "I should have told you that ii was meeting with Owen today."

"Yeah, I'd say so."

"But," she continued as if he hadn't spoken at all, "other than that, I've done nothing to earn your mistrust, Lucas. You're my friend. My lover. The man I trust to be a father to my baby."

A muscle in his jaw twitched furiously, but he didn't speak. That was fine by Brooke, because she wasn't finished.

"Peyton hurt you so badly you don't trust anybody."

"I trusted you," he said quietly. "Look where that got me."

"You didn't. Not really." Funny, she was only just see it now. "You're been holding back all along. Waiting for something to go wrong. For me to screw up. To prove to you that I was no better than Peyton."

"Not true."

"Of course it's true," she snapped. "My mistake was playing into it. I was afraid to tell you how I really felt because I thought you'd shut me out even more if you knew."

His eyes narrowed. "Knew what?"

"I should have told you in California, when I realized it for the first time," she admitted. "I love you, Lucas. I'm in love with you."

"I don't want to hear this."

"Too bad," she said. "You need to." Brooke shook her head and stared up into his eyes, willing him to see the truth. "I'm not going to pretend anymore. I love you. If you don't believe me, I can't do anything about that. But I knew you'd react this way, and that's why I didn't tell you. I thought I could wait, that you would eventually come to love me back." She cupped his face in her palms and held on when he would have shaken her off. "I'm not so sure of that now, and you know what? I'm not going to wait for crumbs, Lucas. I deserve more. We both do. I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me. Doesn't believe in me. Doesn't love me."

Turning around, she walked to the door, hoping with every step that he would stop her. Ask her to stay. But it didn't happen, and disappointment welled up inside her until it dripped from her eyes.

She paused briefly at the threshold to look back at him. So tall, so strong, so determined to cut himself off from love. Sadly, Brooke told herself she had nothing to gain by staying except more pain- and she'd had enough of that for one day.

"Congratulations, Lucas," she said sadly. "You found a way out of this marriage, and you convinced yourself it was my fault. A win-win for you right? You're using my stupid meeting with Owen as your excuse to not have to feel. It's easier that way. If you hold yourself back, you don't risk anything."

"Why did you meet Owen, then?"

She smiled sadly. "You should have just asked me that first, Lucas. You should have trusted me. Believed in me. But you didn't. This marriage was a bargain. An act. But that's not enough for me anymore. I want it all. Or I don't want any of it. I deserve more. So does my baby." She took a breath and let it out. "Lucas, so do you."

She didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she walked out, grabbed her purse off the hall table in the entryway, then let, closing the door quietly behind her.

* * *

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	15. Chapter 15

"She's right, you know."

Lucas looked over at his sister in law as she pushed Jamie on the swing. "Figures you'd say that. You're female."

Haley bit back a smile. "True, females are far more logical then males, but even a man should be able to see the truth here. You're just not letting yourself."

Why the hell had he talked to Haley about this? Answer? He hadn't slept, and he'd been on edge since the day before, when Brooke walked out, left him standing in his office, more alone than he'd ever been in his life.

Temper still spiking, he'd roamed through his house like a ghost, haunting every room, seeing Brooke wherever he looked. Maybe she was the ghost, he corrected silently.

Either way, he felt like his head was going to explode with all the thoughts running through it. Then Haley had shown up with Jamie, and he'd blurted it all out before he could stop himself. Haley was his best friend. He'd expected some support. Instead, he was getting his ass kicked. Figuratively speaking.

Stubbornly, though, he reminded her, "She went to meet that sleaze Owen and didn't bother to tell me."

"Did you give her a chance to when she came home?" Haley asked. "Or did you just jump down her throat with accusations?"

He frowned and asked himself when Haley's loyalties had shifted to Brooke. Female solidarity? Made a man feel like he was standing outside, pounding on the door for someone to notice him.

When he didn't answer, Haley said, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I saw the picture, Haley," he argued, remembering the hard punch to the gut that had hit him when he first saw the photo.

"You only saw exactly what that jerk wanted you to see," she corrected.

He looked at her and waited, because he knew she wasn't finished.

"Damn it, Lucas, that guy's been creating chaos all over the country for months and you know it." She tickled Jamie as the swing came back toward her. "You reacted just the way he wanted you to. My God, could you be any more predictable?"

That was irritating, so he didn't address it. "Well the guy has only been hitting people with the truth, hasn't he?"

"Uh-huh. The truth was, she met with Owen. She didn't fling herself at him and run off to the closest hotel room. You're the one who filled in the blank."

He scowled at her, but she didn't stop.

"And you know, when Brooke was hit with the truth, you stood by her." Tipping her head to the side, she stepped around the swing smiling at Jamie. "You think maybe this guy might have been ticked that she didn't fall apart? That her life wasn't ruined by his vicious little attack? You think it bothered the hell out of him that you went riding to the rescue?"

He scrubbed one hand across his jaw. His brain started working even though the sleep-deprived fog, and he had to admit that she might have a point. "Maybe."

"Uh-huh. And maybe he was mad enough to go after you this time? To get you to turn from Brooke so she could be as crushed as he's planned in the first place?" she gave Jamie another push. "And then you, being male and not exactly logical when it comes to the women in your life, react just like he wanted you to."

Well, if any of that was true, it was damned annoying.

Lucas hated the thought that he'd done just what this jerk had wanted him to do. Hated being that predictable. He remembered the look in Brooke's eyes and wondered if Haley was onto something that he'd been too blind to see?

Then Haley started talking again, and he was feeling less magnanimous toward her.

"Brooke was right about you and Peyton."

He shot her a single, hard look. "Leave it alone."

"Yeah, that's gonna happen." She said with a laugh as took a step back to avoid the swing. "You know we were all worried about you when Peyton took off."

He did know that, and it didn't make him feel any better to recognize it. Sure, he'd taken it hard, but anyone would have. He remembered his family trying to make him see that Peyton leaving was for the best, she was in love with Jake and couldn't give him what he wanted. But he hadn't been willing to admit that then.

"Yeah, so?"

"Brooke was the one you turned to back then."

"I know that, too." He remembered going to see Brooke in New York. How she drew him out of the dark fury that had held him in a grip for weeks. She'd stuck by him no matter what he'd done to make her leave. She'd stayed to be insulted when he was rude to her.

Brooke had just flat reused to leave him alone to brood. Instead, she'd dragged him out to the movies, to dinner, to picnics with Jamie. He'd remembered how to laugh because of her. And eventually, he'd admitted that it hadn't been Peyton he had missed, but the idea of her. Of a wife. Family.

"But you're still holding on to what Peyton made you feel, Lucas."

"The hell I am." He brushed that aside, stepped back and caught the swing, pulling Jamie up and into his arms, before letting him down so he could head to the sandbox.

"You don't even realize it," Haley said, "but ever since that women, you've looked at everyone else like you're just waiting for them to turn on you. To prove themselves dishonest. Untrustworthy."

He shifted uneasily. He was long since over Peyton, but the lesson she'd taught him had remained fresh. "So being cautious is wrong?"

"That's not cautions, Lucas," she said, laying one hand on his shoulder. "That's cowardly."

"Oh, thanks very much." He turned and headed for the shade of the trees. Taking a seat at the picnic table.

"What would you call it if someone refused to care again because they might get hurt? Refused to trust again because they might be let down?"

He wanted to say careful, but he was afraid she had a point.

"Brooke loves you."

"How the hell do you know that?" he demanded. "She only told me last night."

"And you let her leave anyway?" Haley's eyes went wide in astonishment. "God, you really are an idiot. Of course she loves you. She always has. If you weren't such a stubborn male, you would have noticed it on your own."

She walked joined him at the table pulling faces at Jamie in the sand box.

"Love wasn't part of our deal," he argued, even knowing it was weak.

"Love isn't a bargain, Lucas. It's a gift. One you just returned." She shook her head again. "Idiot."

Lucas watched Jamie play and tried to tune out Haley's frustrated muttering. He had a feeling it wasn't real flattering to him anyway. And maybe he didn't deserve flattery. Maybe he was the idiot his sister in law has called him.

And maybe, he though in disgust, he'd tossed aside something he should have been fighting for.

* * *

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	16. Chapter 16

When her cell phone rang, Brooke grabbed it, hoping to see Lucas' name on her screen, and felt a swift stab of disappointment when it wasn't him. She answered on a sigh. "Hey Rach."

Her friend started talking in a rush. "Brooke, you remember that guy Owen you told me about?"

Brooke rolled her eyes and dropped into a chair. Curling her feet up underneath her, she said wryly, "Yes, I remember him." Just saw him yesterday, she wanted to add but didn't. "What about him?"

"I met Bevin for lunch today and you know how she is working down at the court house now? Well, guess who we ran into?" Rachel paused for dramatic effect. "Can I just say wow? You didn't tell us how pretty he is."

"He's not that good looking in person," Brooke assured her. Especially, she added silently, when you added in his personality. His character. Compared to Lucas, Owen was simply an attractive waste of space.

"Well, he definitely wasn't looking too happy." Rachel continued.

Brooke sighed again. She was tired, since she'd been up half the night, her dream self had done the same thing.

This morning, she'd been on the phone handling dozens of things, all while letting the back of her mind work on what she would say to Lucas when she talked to him again. Because they were going to talk. She wasn't going to let him end what they'd just so recently found because of a stupid lie. Should she have told him about meeting Owen? Sure. In hindsight, it was perfectly clear. But at the time, she'd been trying to handle things on her own. Clear up her past and set up her future. Why was that so hard to understand?

Resting her head against the back of the chair, she stared up at the ceiling and asked listlessly, "Why was he at the courthouse?"

"Get this," Rachel sain, clearly settling in for a good gossip session. "There are three different women suing him for child support."

Surprised, but somehow comforted by the fact that she wasn't the only foolish woman to have landed in Owen's bed, Brooke chuckled a little to herself. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah, apparently it's huge news. He even skipped town for a while."

"Well he's back, so that plan obviously didn't work."

"Well, I hope he gets what is coming to him."

"Something tells me he will," Brooke said. "He has to face the music eventually, right?"

"Right." Rachel agreed.

It explained why Owen had been desperate enough for money to give extortion a try. The upside here was, with three other women and children to worry about, the man would certainly be willing to sign over his paternal rights, so that was good for Brooke and her baby.

Rachel was talking, but Brooke was only half listening. Instead, she was thinking about Lucas. Maybe she should have stayed and just had it out with him last night. But he'd hurt her, damn it. Hurt her by dismissing her when she told him she loved him. It had been a big moment for her, opening herself up like that, and he hadn't believed her.

Hadn't trusted her, and that, she thought, hurt most of all. He'd been waiting, or so it seemed to her, for Brooke to let him down. To prove that what they had couldn't be counted on. Scowling, she thought about the night before, and then something dawned on her.

A part of his mind and heart had been convinced that she would leave him. Walk away. To protect himself, he's held back, committing to a marriage he didn't believe would work so that when it failed, he wasn't blindsided by it.

With a jolt, Brooke sat up straight. And what had she done? Walked away in the middle of an argument. She'd walked away. Just as he'd expected her to do. "Oh, God."

"Brooke, are you even listening to me?"

She winced. "Sorry, Rach, I'm just really distracted."

"Everything okay with you and Lucas?"

She hesitated and almost lied but didn't want to get into the habit, so she said only, "It will be. We're just working out a few things."

Like our lives.

"Oh, I totally get it. Between weddings and babies and the rush of hormones….we're all half-crazed these days. I'll let you go, sweetie. I just wanted to tell you about that Owen guy."

"And I appreciate the update," Brooke said. "We'll talk soon."

When the call ended, she stood up and walked through her almost empty house, realizing that this wasn't her place anymore. Her place was with Lucas. Whether he knew it or not.

Grimly, she turned her phone on and made a call.

When a woman answered, she said, "Haley, its Brooke. Do you know where Lucas is?"

"An hour ago, he was at the park, and he was pretty damn cabby, too."

Brooke smiled. "He's about to get a lot crabbier."

"Yay!"

* * *

Brooke drove straight to Lucas', telling herself if he wasn't there, she'd wait. She wasn't going to leave again without making him see the truth of what they had. What they could have. And if she'd just stayed right there last night, they'd be through this already.

Mental note: no more walking out.

Her hair was twisted wildly in the wind blasting through her open window. The summer sky was a brassy blue with only a few stray clouds drifting aimlessly, looking lost and alone in that cast expanse. There was no traffic on the road, so she pushed the car as fast as she dared. The baby was moving around excitedly, almost as if he or she knew they were headed home. Brooke smiled fiercely and caught her own eye in the review mirror.

She was going to make Lucas listen. Make him believe. Make him love her as much as she loved him, Brooke had waited for love her whole life, and she wasn't going to settle for less.

Gravel flew up from behind her tires as she took the street toward home. He gaze swept the familiar, looking for Lucas, and then she spotted him, getting into his car.

"Oh, no," she murmured, "you're not leaving yet."

She pulled to a stop directly in front of the driveway, blocking him from leaving. Then she threw the gear into park, jumped out and walked toward him with long determined strides.

* * *

Lucas' breath caught in his throat. When he saw her car flying down the street, he thought he'd never seen anything that beautiful. She was coming home on her own. But now, watching the women who held his heat, he had to admit that she looked both gorgeous…and dangerous. There was fire in her eyes, and what did it say about him that he found that damned sexy?

It was so good to see her. To catch her scent on the wind. He wanted to tangle his hands in that thick hair of hers, slant his mouth over hers and feel the rush of rightness that always went through him when they were together.

Since she walked out the door yesterday, he'd felt only half-alive. Through his anger and pain, there was a constant ache for her. In spite of distrusting her, he wanted her. In spite of everything, he'd missed her.

And after talking to Haley today, he'd realized that he'd handled that talk with Brooke all wrong. He hadn't even listened to her, because he'd been so wrapped up in the surety that he's been right to keep his heat locked away.

But he was wrong. About all of it. And it was long past time she heard everything he'd been keeping inside.

"You're not leaving, Lucas," she said when she was close enough.

"No need to now," he said affably, one corner of his mouth lifting as her eyes spit fire at him.

"Not until we get a few things straight," she said, then asked, "What did you say?"

"I was coming to you, Brooke, so, no," he said, "I'm not going anywhere now."

Some of that temper that had been driving he melted away. He could see it in the way her shoulders relaxed some "You were really coming to see me?"

"Couldn't take the silence here, Brooke. The emptiness. I needed you to come home. And you have."

He grabbed hold of her, yanked her in close and kissed her, letting his body tell her everything that was so hard to say in words. She leaned into him, and he felt whole for the first time in hours. This was where he belonged. Right here, with her. The world righted itself, and every last, lingering doubt hiding in the shadows of his mind dissolved in the realization of what he had – what he had almost lost.

When he finally lifted his head, he looked down into her eyes and said, "I'm sorry."

"Excuse me? You're sorry?"

He grinned a little. "Is it so surprising?"

"Well," she admitted, "yes. I didn't expect you to say that. I thought we'd finish our argument and that I'd have to hold you down to make you listen to me. An apology wasn't in the game plan."

"I was wrong, Brooke. Expected or not, I am sorry. I never should have let the photo get to me." He released her, jammed his hands in the back packets of his jeans and admitted, "I reacted just the way he wanted me to. I shut you down. Wouldn't listen. Hell, I didn't even listen to myself, because of course I trust you, Brooke."

She blew out a breath, then pressed her lips together in an attempt to steady herself. Lucas knew her even better than he knew himself, and that was just one more reason why he'd been the idiot Haley had called him.

Brooke didn't cheat. Brooke would never hurt him.

"Thanks for that," she said and gave him a tremulous smile.

"I saw that picture and I lost it," he admitted, jerking his hands free and tossing them in the air helplessly. "I didn't think. Didn't remember that the bastard's whole point is to create chaos and tear people apart."

"It wouldn't have done anything to us if I had just told you about Owen wanting to meet with me in the first place, Lucas." Her eyes were shining as she looked up at him. "I should have asked you to go with me."

Watching her, he asked what he should have the day before. "Why didn't you?"

"Because I wanted to handle it myself." She laid both hands on the curve of the baby and rubbed, as if soothing the child within. "I wanted to kick him out of my life, our lives. Once I was there, I was wishing for you, though, if that helps."

"A little," he admitted. "I get you wanting to do it yourself, Brooke. But you could have told me."

"And should have, I know." She pushed her hand through her wind-tangled hair and sighed. "He wanted money. Threatened to tell the world that he's the baby's father if I didn't pay him off."

Lucas felt a hard punch of anger and gritted his teeth against the helpless flood of it. He really wished he had five minutes alone with the man. "What did you say to that?"

"I told him to go ahead. It would make it easier to sue him for child support."

A laugh shot from Lucas' throat. "You did?"

"Yes, and he wasn't happy," she said, smiling now.

"But according to Rachel, he's got bigger problems at the moment."

"What?"

"Not important," she said, shaking her head. "I'll tell you later. Lucas. Why were you coming to see me?"

"Because sometime between last night and this morning, I finally figured something out." He reached for her again, laid both hands on her shoulders and held on. "I was coming to tell you that I love you, Brooke."

She gasped and clapped one hand to her mouth. Her eyes filled instantly with a sheen of tears. "Really?"

"Yes." His gaze moved over her face, taking in every detail. In the sunlight, the bright streaks in her hair shone like polished copper. Behind her hand, her mouth was curved in a small smile, revealing her dimples, as if she wanted to believe him but couldn't quite manage it. And her eyes, her beautiful eyes glittered with love and hope.

"I love you, Brooke," he said again, willing hr to trust him. To believe him. "I was a jackass yesterday. I was so worried about losing you I forgot to fight to keep you."

"Lucas…."

He had no clue what she was going to say, but Lucas was determined to speak first. To tell her everything he should have told her when he first suggested they get married.

"I shouldn't have shut down like that yesterday. I do trust you, Brooke. It was my own stubbornness that didn't let me tell you that I think I've always loved you." He ran his hands up and down her arms, kept his gaze locked with hers. "I'm lucky enough to be in love with one of my best friends."

She pressed her lips together and reached up to impatiently swipe tears from her eyes. "When I left yesterday, Lucas, I wasn't really leaving, you know. I always planned to come back."

"You walking away is something I never want to see again, Brooke. Don't think I could take it." Just the thought of losing her was enough to bring him to his knees.

When Peyton left, anger had driven him. If he lost Brooke, he'd lose his soul.

"You don't have to worry about that," she assured him, stepping in to wrap her arms around his waist. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm exactly where I want to be."

He held on to her for several long minutes, relishing the beat of her heart against his chest, the scent of her shampoo flavouring every breath and the thump of their child, kicking to get attention.

Finally, though, he pulled back, caged her face between his palms and said, "I want to adopt your baby, Brooke. As soon as it's born, I want to be its father. So that baby will never doubt that he or she belongs. That we're a family."

"Oh, Lucas…" Tears trickled down her cheeks, but she smiled through them, and his heart turned over to see the love beaming in her eyes.

"And about the California thing," Lucas added quickly, wanting to say it all now while he was holding her close. "If you have to be there for weeks on end to tape your show, we'll manage. We can buy a house in the hills there and we'll have a California base for whenever we need it."

"You'd do that for me?" she asked.

"For us," he corrected, wiping her tears away with his thumbs.

"It means so much to me that you would," Brooke said and went up on her toes to kiss him, had and fast. "But you don't have to. I called Tamara today to tell her thanks but no, thanks."

"Because I don't need it in the desperate way I used to," she said. "Before, I wanted my brand to succeed so badly so I could prove myself. To my parents. To myself. Because the line was all I had, I poured everything into it. But these past few weeks, I've discovered I'm more than my brand, Lucas. I don't need to make a point. I need you. Us."

"But, Brooke, this was your dream."

She shrugged and smiled. "If doing it myself means I get to do it my way, from where I belong, with my family. Then I will do it myself. Even if it takes a little longer."

"You're amazing," he said quietly. He'd always seen her strength, and he was glad she could see it now, too. "I believe in you, Brooke. You wait and see. In a few years, your brand is going to be an international hit."

She grinned. "As long as you're with me, then everything will be perfect."

"Oh, I'm with you, pretty girl. And you'll never shake me loose now."

"Good to hear," she said and moved to kiss him again.

He stopped her cold with a shake of his head. "Not yet. We've got something else to settle first."

"What's left?" she asked, but she was smiling and he was grateful. He never wanted to see her cry again.

"Just this." Lucas went down on one knee in front of her and pulled a simply set sapphire ring from his pocket. Holding it up, he saw more tears and told himself this one last time was okay. "You didn't want an engagement ring before because it wouldn't have been real. I hope you'll take this one, though. This ring belonged to my grandmother, Brooke. It symbolizes the fifty years of love she and my grandpa shared."

"Lucas…"

His gaze locked on her, Lucas said softly, "I'm offering you this ring, Brooke. I want to give you my name, my love and the future we'll build together. Marry me for real, Brooke. Trust me with your heart, with your baby. Give me more babies. Fill this empty house with the kind of love that lasts generations."

"Oh, Lucas, my heart hurts it's so full," she whispered brokenly.

"That's a yes, then?"

"Yes, of course it's yes."

He slid the ring onto her finger, where that cool sapphire caught the sunlight and winked up at both of them. The he lifted the hem of her shirt and pressed a gentle kiss to the mound of her belly and heard her sigh as she stroked her fingers through his hair.

Then he stood up and looked into her eyes as he pulled her into his arms. "I love you, Brooke," he whispered. "Always have. Always will."

She sighed again, smiled and lifted one hand to smooth his hair back from his forehead. "I love you, Lucas. Always have. Always will."

"Good to hear," he said, lowering his head for a kiss.

Brooke grinned. "Talk, talk, talk. Show me what you've got, hotshot."

He ginned back, and then he showed her.

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	17. Chapter 17

Epilogue

Lucas was already holding his 1 year old daughter when his son came into the world – screaming. Dr. Alan held their son high enough for Brooke to see him.

"Good work. Mom. He's in good shape. I'll let you hold him for a minute but then we will need to take him to the nursery. At thirty-five weeks and a good weight, I think he'll be fine, but the pediatrician wants a good look. Okay with you, Dad?"

Lucas nodded. "Brooke?"

Deeply involved with her new baby, Brooke still had attention left for Lucas, who'd shared every second of this pregnancy and labor. She nodded at him as she cradled her son against her breasts.

"I have an idea for his name, if you want to hear it?"

Brooke laughed, jouncing the baby. "You got to name the first one." She smiled at their daughter, 'Raven Haley Scott'. "But let's hear your suggestion anyway."

"Okay, Davis Keith Scott?"

She met his gaze as she pressed her mouth to her son's head. "I love it. Welcome to the world, Davis Keith Scott."

"We need to take him now, please." Dr. Alan nodded at the nurse who pushed a clear bassinet next to Brook and Lucas.

Davis opened his eyes. He seemed to look into Brooke's, but Brooke had to blink hard so she could see. He uttered a soft sound that probably meant she was starving. Brooke took it as a love song.

"I can't try to feed him yet?"

"After the check-up."

"Can Lucas hold him first, just for a second?"

Lucas sat raven on the hospital bed next to her mother before lifting his son into his arms for the first time.

Brooke wrapped her arms around her daughter, her absolute mini-me. She kissed her head and watched as her husband face flashed with love and pride. A love more fierce than she'd ever known unfurled from her tired body.

Davis stretched with a squall against his father's chest, and Dr. Davis signalled the nurse.

"He won't be gone long. You can see him again after they move you to recovery."

"You should call your mom," Brooke asked Lucas.

He nodded. "And Haley and Nathan."

"Go spread the good news. By the time you come back, I'll be finished with Brooke, and you can take some time for yourselves." Dr. Alan turned to the nurse who was passing her instruments as she stitched Brooke. "Can you scratch my nose please?"

Brooke laughed, and Lucas leaned over her for a brief, yet passionate kiss. "We'll be back pretty girl." He said, lifting Raven back into his arms.

She tried not to cry more tears of joy. As the door closed behind him, she looked wearily on her doctor. "He's a good one, isn't her?"

"A proud dad. I'm proud of you both. That little boy was not kind to you. An hour of labor for every year of your life. What do you think of that?"

Brooke wrapped her arms around herself. "I can't think. I'm too busy feeling completely happy. And a little cold."

Dr. Alan turned to the nurse. "I can complete this on my own. Find a warming blanket for Mrs. Scott. The shivering is perfectly normal, Brooke. Your body's been through a torture."

"Torture?" Brooke repeated.

"A male doctor wouldn't admit it, but then, maybe he wouldn't know. And two babies in less than two years, you're a warrior Brooke."

Raven and Davis were worth every second. They're gorgeous, aren't they?"

"Perfect." The doctor nodded, finishing up and cover her lower half.

Lucas back through the door. "I bring gifts."

He held out a blanket, but the real presents streamed in under their own steam behind him.

"He's gorgeous, Brooke." Karen kissed her check. Haley and I made the attendants bring him to the nursery window. He is absolutely perfect. I'm so proud of you."

"He's all read and squishy," Lilly contradicted. "But mama says all babies look like that to start with."

Lucas leaned over her with a private smile as he tucked the blanket around her. "He was howling. I think he already missies his mama."

"That's bound to happen. Haley should get used to that, she owes me lots of babysitting." She looked at Haley. "Where's Rachel?"

"Running late – the little girl of hers is quite the handful. She was waiting for Mouth to get back from work and then she'll come on over."

Brooke made room as Lucas sat on the bed beside her. "Nate you're quiet," she said.

He shot a tentative glance at Lucas before he answered. "Just tired, Lydia still isn't sleeping though the night. You guys are brave to have two so close together."

Lucas chuckled, but stood and wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders. "What can I say, my wife is irresistible. And we make some good looking kids."

Brooke couldn't remember a time when she had felt happier. Her work had fallen completely by the way side as she planned her wedding and then prepared for the birth of their daughter. She'd had every intention of going back, but it had been much harder then she had first realized to not spend every second with her little family. She had actually hired a managing director to run the company so she could devote her time to her family.

Lucas kissed her and then held himself above her so that their lips almost touched. "I love you, pretty girl. Thank you for being my wife and thank you for giving me our two beautiful children."

"Lucas Scott, I'm so glad you're the guy for me. I love you."

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Thank you for reading J


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